Tamil Nadu CM Vijay proposes meeting with Karnataka counterpart D.K. Shivakumar over Cauvery

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has proposed a meeting with his Karnataka counterpart, D.K. Shivakumar, to discuss the issue of the release of Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water. Mr. Vijay is awaiting a response from the latter.

Even after accounting for the deficient rainfall during the current Southwest monsoon, Tamil Nadu is estimated to be entitled to receive at least three thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft.) more, according to a representative of the State government. As of July 22, the State had received about 3.5 tmc ft. The shortfall, as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final award, as amended by the Supreme Court in its 2018 judgment, is approximately 28 tmc ft.

It is learnt that Tamil Nadu had requested Karnataka to schedule the meeting anytime between July 31 and August 3. In view of Mr. Shivakumar’s other commitments, it was, at one stage, anticipated that the two Chief Ministers could meet on August 3. “So far, no confirmation has been received,” the representative said, hinting that Karnataka is expected to confirm the meeting within a day or two.

First meeting in 14 years

In the event that the two Chief Ministers meet, it will be the first such meeting in nearly 14 years. Although the September 29, 2016, meeting was supposed to be an event involving the Chief Ministers of the two principal riparian States — Tamil Nadu and Karnataka — Jayalalithaa could not travel to New Delhi because of her hospitalisation. Tamil Nadu was represented by then Public Works Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, while Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah participated. The meeting was chaired by then Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti.

It was on November 29, 2012, that Jayalalithaa met her Karnataka counterpart Jagadish Shettar in Bengaluru again in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s suggestion. No compromise was worked out. 

Prior to the 2012 meeting, there were five rounds of talks between the two sides between August 1996 and January 1997 when M. Karunanidhi and J.H. Patel were Chief Ministers of the two States. 

Before the Tribunal was established in June 1990, there were 26 rounds of negotiations between August 1968 and April 1990, but they did not lead to the resolution of the dispute. Of these rounds of talks, 21 meetings took place in the presence of the Union Minister for Irrigation, and five were only between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.