The Thamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam (TCVS) has exhorted the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, C. Joseph Vijay, not to go ahead with the proposed meeting of the Chief Ministers of the Upper and Lower Riparian States to discuss the issue of Cauvery river water sharing at Bengaluru, since it is against the Supreme Court’s verdict.
Talking to The Hindu on Friday (July 24) the TCVS general secretary, P. R. Pandian recalled that in the 2012-13 cultivation season, the State (Tamil Nadu), particularly the Delta region, reeled under severe drought as the Karnataka government failed to release water in river as per the Cauvery Tribunal’s Final Order issued in 2007.
When the Tamil Nadu government, headed by the former Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, approached the Supreme Court in 2012 seeking its directions to Karnataka, the Judges suggested that the Chief Ministers of the two States could meet in person and solve the issue.
As a fallout of the Apex Court’s intervention, a meeting was organised in Bengaluru in November 2012, wherein Ms Jayalalithaa stood firm on her stance to ensure the immediate release of water to save the standing ‘samba’ crop. She returned empty-handed as the Karnataka government clarified that it was not in a position to honour her demand immediately.
Subsequently, when the then AIADMK government presented a report on the outcome of the Apex Court directed meeting of Upper and Lower Riparian State governments on water sharing, the Supreme Court restrained the two governments from entering / organising dialogues on their own on this issue.
It also directed the then Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh to intervene and solve the issue by giving necessary instructions to the Karnataka government, which ensured releasing of water from the Karnataka dams to Tamil Nadu.
Such being the history, entering or engaging a dialogue at the level of Chief Ministers of two Riparian States bypassing the Cauvery River Water Management, the Statutory Body to oversee and ensure sharing of water as per the Supreme Court’s directions with respect to the Cauvery Tribunal’s Final Order, would not be wise on the part of Tamil Nadu.
Further, reports have emerged that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has refused to issue no-objection certificate to Karnataka government, which is vigorously pursuing the Mekedatu dam project.
Thus, it would be apt on the part of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister not to go ahead with the proposed meeting, the TCVS general secretary said and added that Delta farmers were planning to meet Mr.Vijay to plead with him not to entertain such requests from Karnataka overlooking the Supreme Court and the Cauvery Water Management Authority.
Published - July 24, 2026 07:21 pm IST