New Delhi/Bengaluru, July 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has invited his Tamil Nadu counterpart, C. Joseph Vijay, to visit the Cauvery catchment areas and witness the prevailing water situation firsthand amid the continuing dispute over river water sharing between the two states.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday, Shivakumar said his government was prepared to arrange a helicopter tour for the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to enable him to assess conditions across the Cauvery basin.
“We have requested Chief Minister Vijay to visit our Cauvery catchment region. If required, helicopter arrangements will also be made so that he can personally understand the ground reality,” Shivakumar said.
The Karnataka Chief Minister said Vijay had expressed his willingness to hold discussions on the Cauvery issue through both a formal letter and a telephone conversation. According to him, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had written to Karnataka’s Chief Secretary and also spoken to him directly regarding a meeting between the two states.
Stressing the importance of maintaining cordial relations between neighbouring states, Shivakumar said Karnataka would extend due respect to the visiting Chief Minister and make all necessary arrangements for his visit.
He maintained that Tamil Nadu’s leadership should understand the challenges being faced by Karnataka, particularly in view of the significant rainfall deficit in the Cauvery basin this year.
“He should see the situation himself. Let us see what conclusion he reaches after witnessing the realities on the ground,” Shivakumar said, adding that such an interaction could help improve mutual understanding on the sensitive river water dispute.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru for a high-level meeting between the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments on August 3. The talks, scheduled to be held in the conference hall on the third floor of the state secretariat, are expected to be attended by the Chief Ministers of both states, ministers and senior officials.
Officials said arrangements at the venue include maintenance works, inspection of lighting and air-conditioning systems, and other logistical preparations ahead of the meeting.
The meeting assumes significance as it is expected to be the first direct bilateral engagement between the two state governments on the Cauvery dispute in more than a decade. The last such meeting between the Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu was held in Bengaluru in November 2012.
The latest developments come amid renewed tensions after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu despite the state’s claim of inadequate rainfall and limited reservoir storage. Karnataka has already announced that it will challenge the CWRC’s directive before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), citing the need to prioritise drinking water requirements and manage depleted water resources.
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