Disputes over water sharing, Mekedatu reservoir

Meeting Hall at Vidhana Soudha being spruced up

Bengaluru: The State Government has decided to accord a grand welcome to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, who is arriving here on Aug. 3 for the bilateral talks with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, over the contentious Cauvery river water sharing and the proposal to build a reservoir across river Cauvery at Mekedatu in Bengaluru South district (formerly Ramanagar district).

The meeting hall in the third floor of Vidhana Soudha  is being spruced up for the most significant meeting ever convened in the history of both the States, which have been at logger heads over Cauvery river water sharing dispute, which has escalated further with the reservoir planned at Mekedatu.

The Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) and Public Works Department (PWD) have been making brisk arrangements for the meeting. Apart from the Chief Ministers of both the States, the Ministers and officers concerned, totalling about 25, are expected to take part in the meeting, being arranged in a round-table model.

Barring those attending the meeting, the others are prohibited from entering Vidhana Soudha on that day. Tamil Nadu CM Vijay, on his arrival, will be ushered inside through the eastern side door of Vidhana Soudha. The floor up to the meeting hall is covered with a red carpet for the comfort of visiting dignitaries. The backdrop where both the Chief Ministers will be seated during the meeting, will be decorated with the respective State Flags.

Following the row over Mekedatu, Vijay mooted bilateral talks with his Karnataka counterpart. Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu wrote to his counterpart in Karnataka, expressing the intent to visit the State for talks along with Chief Minister, Ministers and officers.

Chief Minister Shivakumar, who took keen interest to arrange the meeting, directed the Chief Secretary to make arrangements for talks at the meeting hall and decorate the same without compromising on the grandeur and to welcome the guests with all respects.