Southern states back dialogue on water disputes at zonal council meet; delimitation concerns raised

Southern states on Thursday backed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's call for dialogue to resolve pending inter-state water disputes, while concerns over delimitation and political representation dominated the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council. Chairing the meeting, Shah called for the early resolution of water-related disputes through joint meetings involving the Union Ministries of Jal Shakti and Home Affairs, the Inter-State Council and the states concerned. Shah said protecting the interests of individual states was not wrong, but added that such concerns should not leave states deprived of water for years while it ultimately flowed into the sea. He advocated linking major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Cauvery and Godavari, saying the initiative could help ensure that water is utilized effectively. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu pushed to retain 543 Lok Sabha seats for 25 years, reflecting their concerns about delimitation and political representation. Water disputes involving Mekedatu, Mullaperiyar and the Krishna river were also raised during the meeting.