Karnataka: CM DK Shivakumar offers copter ride to TN CM Vijay for aerial survey of Cauvery basin

Bengaluru: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday invited his Tamil Nadu counterpart C Joseph Vijay to undertake an aerial survey of the Cauvery basin in Karnataka, saying the state government would arrange a helicopter so he could assess the drought situation first-hand.

The offer comes after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

"We have requested Chief Minister Vijay to personally assess the situation in the Cauvery basin. I have informed him that the government will make the necessary helicopter arrangements for his visit. He should witness the ground realities himself. Let us see what decision he takes," Shivakumar told reporters in Delhi.


The chief minister said Vijay had expressed his desire to meet him. "He has written to the Chief Secretary and has also spoken to me over the phone. I have extended him the respect he deserves and invited him to the meeting. It is our duty to receive guests visiting our state with due courtesy," he said.

Shivakumar and Vijay are scheduled to meet in Bengaluru on August 3 to discuss the Cauvery water-sharing issue amid a weak monsoon and growing concerns over water availability.

The proposed meeting has drawn criticism from Opposition parties, including the DMK and PMK, in Tamil Nadu.