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Politics
Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar Presses PM on Mekedatu Dam, TN Congress Chief Reacts
✍️ India Today
🗓 15 Nov 2026, 02:37 AM
👁 27
Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to green‑light the controversial Mekedatu dam project during a meeting, prompting a sharp retort from the Tamil Nadu Congress chief.
Karnataka’s senior minister DK Shivakumar used a public forum with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urge immediate approval of the Mekedatu dam, a water‑storage project on the Kaveri River that has long been a point of contention between Karnataka and neighboring states.
Shivakumar highlighted the dam’s potential to generate hydro‑electric power and secure water supplies for the state’s growing urban and agricultural needs, arguing that delays were hampering Karnataka’s development agenda.
The appeal drew an immediate response from the Congress chief of Tamil Nadu, who questioned the timing and the environmental clearances of the project, suggesting that the push could exacerbate inter‑state water disputes.
Both leaders reiterated their respective positions, with Shivakumar insisting that the central government’s swift action was essential, while the Tamil Nadu leader warned that any decision must consider the broader basin‑wide impact.
The exchange underscores the political sensitivity surrounding large‑scale water infrastructure in South India and the need for consensus before the project proceeds further.
Shivakumar highlighted the dam’s potential to generate hydro‑electric power and secure water supplies for the state’s growing urban and agricultural needs, arguing that delays were hampering Karnataka’s development agenda.
The appeal drew an immediate response from the Congress chief of Tamil Nadu, who questioned the timing and the environmental clearances of the project, suggesting that the push could exacerbate inter‑state water disputes.
Both leaders reiterated their respective positions, with Shivakumar insisting that the central government’s swift action was essential, while the Tamil Nadu leader warned that any decision must consider the broader basin‑wide impact.
The exchange underscores the political sensitivity surrounding large‑scale water infrastructure in South India and the need for consensus before the project proceeds further.