Chennai, August 1: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has decided to postpone his proposed trip to Bengaluru, originally scheduled for August 3. This decision comes after Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar requested to delay the meeting due to escalating political and public tensions surrounding the Cauvery water-sharing dispute.
The planned visit was set to be the first direct conversation between the two chief ministers regarding the long-standing issues related to the Cauvery River. However, the situation in Karnataka changed following a directive from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, which mandated the state to release 3,500 cubic feet of water daily to Tamil Nadu from July 29 for a period of 15 days.
In response to this directive, widespread protests erupted in various parts of Karnataka, prompting the state government to seek a postponement of the talks. Before making a final decision on the trip, Chief Minister Vijay held extensive discussions with senior officials from the Water Resources Department to assess the current situation and potential outcomes of the meeting.
Sources indicate that during these discussions, Karnataka expressed that the prevailing atmosphere was not conducive for bilateral talks at this time. The proposed discussions were initially initiated at the request of Chief Minister Vijay, who aimed to address key inter-state issues, including the controversial Mekedatu reservoir project and the ongoing Cauvery water-sharing dispute.
However, the situation shifted dramatically when the Cauvery Water Management Authority rejected Karnataka’s appeal to stay the order mandating the release of water to Tamil Nadu. This development has sparked large-scale protests across Karnataka, particularly in the Mandya region.
Leave a Comment