Amit Shah to Lead South Zone Chief Ministers' Summit Amid Cauvery Water Dispute
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a two-day South Zone Chief Ministers’ Conference in Mamallapuram, gathering leaders of six southern states and Puducherry to address regional issues, especially the Cauvery-Mekedatu water conflict.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to chair a two-day South Zone Chief Ministers’ Conference beginning Thursday in Mamallapuram. The summit will bring together the chief ministers of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu to discuss matters affecting the southern region. Organisers say the forum seeks to smooth differences among the states and identify joint pathways for growth across various sectors.
A central topic is the decades-old dispute over Cauvery water, intensified by Karnataka’s plan to construct the Mekedatu reservoir while the Supreme Court has ordered the release of Tamil Nadu’s entitled share. The controversy has hurt paddy farming in the delta and triggered farmer protests, while opposition parties have urged an all-party meeting and the ruling party has passed a resolution opposing the dam in the ongoing assembly session.
Why it matters
The summit could shape the resolution of a long-standing water dispute that impacts agriculture and politics across India's southern states.
In this story
