All-Party Meeting on River Disputes and Mekedatu Reservoir Held in Karnataka

An all-party meeting focused on inter-state river disputes and the contentious Mekedatu reservoir implementation took place under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Karnataka. Attendees included former Chief Ministers, ministers from various departments, MLAs, MPs, and legal experts. Siddaramaiah highlighted the urgent need for water due to low reservoir levels, emphasizing the state’s obligation to follow Supreme Court and Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT) orders.

He urged unity among parties to address both Kannada people’s interests and legal mandates. Karnataka was directed to release 10,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery until August 31, while Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar explained the water scarcity challenge, with just 55 tmc of water available against a requirement of 124 tmc.

The meeting also addressed the Mekedatu project’s opposition by Tamil Nadu, designed to provide water to Bengaluru, and the Kalasa-Banduri project dispute with Goa over using River Mahadayi water for north Karnataka.