Mekedatu project: Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar expresses willingness to talk to Tamil Nadu

Expressing willingness to discuss Mekedatu drinking water project with Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said that the neighbouring State has used the issue as “political agenda” for the past 40 years.

Mr. Shivakumar’s statement came on June 18, 2026, in response to TN Governor Rajendra Arlekar’s address in the The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and ahead of the unanimous adoption of a resolution moved by TN Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on June 19, objecting to the Karnataka government’s proposal to construct a balancing reservoir across Cauvery at Mekedatu.

“I will not interfere in their politics. They are building plenty of dams downstream and we have not raised any objection. I am ready to talk with them anytime,” the Chief Minister told presspersons here in response to Tamil Nadu government proposing to explore legal avenues to stall Mekedatu project. On the Congress being part of the government in Tamil Nadu, he said, “We will make whatever appeal need to be made to them. There is no politics here.”

Describing the project as the “heart of South India”, he said, “The project is not close to my heart alone, but protects the interest of both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The Supreme Court has stated that the decision on the project should be made by the Central Water Commission.” Stating that this was a balancing reservoir, he said that not a single bucket of water will be used for irrigation. “It will be used only to supply drinking water to Bengaluru since the city’s population is growing. We cannot bring water from Krishna.”