Fresh bid to end Cauvery deadlock as CMs plan talk

Karnataka CM D K Shivakumar and Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay plan a meeting to discuss the Cauvery dispute and Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir amid worsening drought.

Tamil Nadu minister R Vinoth said Vijay will travel to Karnataka in the first week of August to oppose the Mekedatu project and demand Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water.

Shivakumar confirmed Karnataka is willing to resolve inter-state issues through dialogue and invited Vijay for talks in Bengaluru, with August 3 considered as a tentative date.

Karnataka informed the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) it could not release additional water for June and July due to deficient rainfall.

The meeting follows Tamil Nadu's request, with no confirmation yet on whether Vijay has accepted the invitation.