Chennai: Kerala chief minister V D Satheesan pitched for a new dam replacing Mullaperiyar reservoir, while Karnataka chief minister D K Shivakumar renewed his push for a dam across Cauvery at Mekedatu during the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting on Thursday. Both CMs assured that Tamil Nadu’s water interests would be protected.Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, Shivakumar said he had assured Union home minister Amit Shah that the interests of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry would be protected even if Mekedatu dam was built. Shivakumar said that dam would in fact benefit Tamil Nadu. Karnataka would use only five tmcft of water from the proposed reservoir for drinking purpose while the remaining water released to Tamil Nadu, he said. He called for a separate meeting to resolve inter-state water disputes.Shivakumar said rivers should unite states rather than divide them. “Rivers transcend political boundaries,” he said, stressing dialogue and mutual cooperation in resolving disputes. “Water cooperation, not just water sharing, is the need of the hour,” he said.At the same meeting, Satheesan reiterated Kerala’s demand for a new Mullaperiyar dam, offering to bear the entire construction cost and ensure TN receives its full entitled share of water. Kerala also offered to let Tamil Nadu decide the design and location and oversee construction.TN has consistently opposed Mekedatu, citing concerns that such a reservoir would block flow of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu resulting in shortage in the delta districts of the state. TN had also rejected the demand for a dam replacing Mullaperiyar and has been demanding a increase in the water level at the dam to 152ft. Kerala, however, has been raising safety concerns and was demanding a new dam. Kerala was also opposing TN’s demand to raise the reservoir level to 152ft.
