CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday called for stronger cooperation among southern states and Centre, saying shared economic interests and natural resources should unite states rather than become sources of conflict.Addressing the Southern Zonal Council meeting, Vijay made the remarks against the backdrop of the long-standing Cauvery water dispute and Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu project, which have remained politically sensitive issues between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.“The opportunities and challenges before us are shared, and so must be our resolve to address them. Our rivers, coasts, infrastructure and markets should unite us in a common purpose and shared prosperity. Where we agree, let us act with ambition. Where we differ, let us resolve our differences through dialogue, mutual respect and the rule of law. This is the essence of cooperative federalism,” he said.Vijay said inter-state rivers and common markets should be leveraged for regional growth, while differences over water and other resources should be settled through dialogue and within the legal framework.“TN firmly believes that strong states make a stronger India. In that spirit, I reaffirm our commitment to working with the Union government and our sister states towards a developed India,” he said.Vijay said southern states should build on their economic strengths and common markets to promote balanced development. He also called for sustained cooperation on issues where the interests of states converge, while ensuring that differences did not affect broader ties between neighbouring states.Vijay said TN remained committed to constructive engagement with Centre and other states, stressing that national development would be stronger when states were empowered and their concerns addressed through cooperative governance.Meanwhile, Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar called for a paradigm shift from “water sharing” to “water cooperation”, saying inter-state rivers should unite states rather than divide them.Shivakumar said rivers transcend political boundaries and stressed the need for greater cooperation among states sharing river waters. He said Karnataka respected the rights of lower riparian states in inter-state water matters and called for disputes to be addressed through dialogue and mutual cooperation.“Water cooperation, not just water sharing, is the need of the hour,” Shivakumar said, emphasising the need to look beyond state boundaries while managing shared river resources.
