Unanimous call in the House

Tamil Nadu’s Legislative Assembly witnessed a unified demand from opposition parties to convene an all-party meeting on the Cauvery dispute, amid concerns over water sharing and Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam.

Opposition flags Mekedatu, drought relief

Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi asked what steps the state had taken to stop Karnataka’s efforts to build the Mekedatu dam. He also sought that delta districts be declared drought-hit and that relief be provided, citing crop losses due to inadequate water.

Former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said Karnataka had already held an all-party meeting and urged Tamil Nadu to do the same. He recalled that earlier governments had consulted legal experts when the issue escalated, and pressed for compensation, stating that about one lakh acres had been affected.

CPI(M) leader Sellasamy said the state must win the issue legally and cautioned against moves that could lead to humiliation. CPI’s Ramachandran said parties may differ ideologically but have broadly shared a common position on Cauvery since 2014, and that legal opposition to Mekedatu was the right approach.

PMK’s Sowmya said Tamil Nadu is allocated 177.2 TMC of Cauvery water, but Karnataka has not historically released it in a month-wise manner. She alleged Karnataka does not respect decisions of the Cauvery authority and the Supreme Court, and suggested taking all-party leaders to Delhi to press the state’s case.

Government response

Water Resources Minister Anbazhagan said once the Mettur dam is opened, water must be released continuously for irrigation, and that the government is managing the reservoir with responsibility while prioritising drinking water needs. He added that despite increased inflows, Karnataka has not fully released Tamil Nadu’s due share, and said the government is acting to protect the state’s rights on water sharing and to oppose Mekedatu-related moves.