Vijay Seeks More Krishna Water for Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to provide additional Krishna River water for Chennai and advance a proposed Godavari-Cauvery river link during a meeting in Vijayawada on Tuesday, October 13. Naidu said Andhra Pradesh would consider further water supplies based on availability and state requirements; the reports do not establish that any additional release was approved. Naidu said Andhra Pradesh had already released 4.08 TMC of water to Chennai this year. He cited reduced Krishna River inflows and water scarcity in Andhra Pradesh, while saying the state remained attentive to Chennai’s drinking-water needs. Vijay said water supplied through canals was important for the city’s drinking supply. The meeting addressed the proposed Godavari-Cauvery link as well as inter-state water issues. A Tamil Nadu government statement said Vijay urged Naidu to move the project forward and noted that he had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare it a project of national importance. Naidu described river interlinking as a potential long-term response to drought and water shortages.