Amid reports that Tamil NaduChief Minister C. Joseph Vijay would visit Bengaluru on August 3, 2026, to meet his Karnataka counterpart D.K. Shivakumar and discuss the issues surrounding the release of Cauvery water and the proposed Mekedatu project, Tamil Nadu Minister for Energy Resources and Law R. Nirmalkumar on Friday (July 31, 2026) said no official decision had been taken so far on Mr. Vijay’s visit.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat in Chennai, Mr. Nirmalkumar said the Chief Minister has been holding consultations with stakeholders and experts on the Mekedatu issue.

He said Karnataka had not complied with the directions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Tamil Nadu government was considering its next course of action. “Certain decisions are yet to be taken. The government will soon announce its course of action,” he said.

The Minister said the Chief Minister was also reviewing the steps taken by previous governments on the Cauvery issue. “Politics in Karnataka revolves around the Cauvery issue. But it should be viewed as a matter concerning the livelihood of Tamil Nadu’s farmers,” he said.

Mr. Nirmalkumar said the State government was examining available options, including approaching the Supreme Court or seeking the constitution of a tribunal or pursuing an inter-State resolution through dialogue or pressing the Union government to intervene in the matter.

Power bills

On the issue of electricity bills, Mr. Nirmalkumar rejected DMK president M.K. Stalin’s statement that 3.7 lakh consumers had complained about inflated power bills.

He said the figure referred only to the number of service connections that have been undergoing routine verification during the peak summer. He said around 11.5 lakh electricity service connections had received power bills that were two to three times higher than usual during the summer last year.

Around 9.5 lakh consumers had received similarly high bills this year, of which 3.7 lakh service connections have been subjected to assessment, he said.

Published - July 31, 2026 12:37 pm IST