Cauvery dispute: Nilgiris group urges Tamil Nadu CM to convene tri-state meet
The Nilgiris Documentation Centre (NDC) has called upon Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to convene a tri-state meeting with Kerala and Karnataka to find a permanent solution to the long-standing Cauvery water-sharing dispute. Dharmalingam Venugopal of the NDC said this is the most opportune time to rise above politics and work towards a cooperative framework for water management.
The three states—Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka—share deep historical, cultural, and economic ties. Before the Reorganisation of States in 1956, they formed a single administrative unit under the Madras Presidency. Together, they receive both the South-West and North-East monsoons and encompass the major portion of the Western Ghats, which give birth to most of the rivers of southern India. These water resources, if managed equitably, have the potential to support a significant part of the country's needs.
The NDC highlighted the observations of two colonial-era figures who understood the value of water management. Sir Arthur Cotton, a renowned British irrigation engineer, wrote: “There is no country in the world where the reasons causing a drought are so few and where the means of overcoming such conditions are so extensively within the power of the government as in the Madras territories.” Similarly, John Sullivan, the founder of modern Nilgiris and a former member of the Governor's Council in charge of irrigation, had stated: “So long as one drop of water is allowed to run waste into the sea, we must take the blame to ourselves for not taking our best efforts to prevent the evils of scarcity and famine.”
The NDC noted that the three states have produced visionary leaders and engineers who pioneered path-breaking irrigation projects in the past. It urged the Chief Minister to take the initiative immediately to convene a tri-state meeting, exploring all possibilities for a lasting solution based on mutual benefit and cooperation. The organisation emphasised that advances in science, technology, and global cooperation now offer immense possibilities for irrigation and water management.
Water needs of these fast-developing states, which together contribute about one-fifth of the nation's GDP, are set to grow manifold in the coming years. At the same time, emerging challenges such as climate change and phenomena like El Niño could pose severe stress on water availability. A proactive approach, the NDC argued, would help the states jointly address these future risks.
Ooty, where the borders of the three states converge, has been suggested as an ideal venue for such a meeting. The first meeting over the sharing of Cauvery waters was held in Ooty in 1890, followed by two more in 1922 and 1929. The NDC believes that reconvening in this historically significant location would signal a renewed commitment to dialogue and mutual understanding.
The Cauvery water dispute has been a recurring source of tension among the riparian states for decades. While legal mechanisms exist, the NDC's proposal underscores the need for political will and cooperative federalism to arrive at a comprehensive solution. The response of the Tamil Nadu government to this appeal remains awaited.
