20 Aug : Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting at a private star hotel in Kovalam near Mamallapuram on Thursday.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the council’s vice-chairman, welcomed Shah on arrival.
The two leaders briefly interacted before the meeting began. Vijay sat beside Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar during the proceedings.
Representatives from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana attended the conference.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka were present.
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy remained absent. Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan represented the Union Territory.
The Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep officials and senior administrators from participating states and Union Territories further joined the meeting.
The council and standing committee scheduled the session until 01:30 PM.
Members planned to address long-standing disputes over river waters and state boundaries.
The agenda included the Cauvery and Krishna water-sharing disputes, Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam and concerns over the Mullaperiyar dam.
Tamil Nadu was expected to discuss the recent shooting of three Tamil men near the Karnataka border. The state, however, sought stronger coordination with Karnataka.
The meeting was likely to address delimitation and its possible impact on southern states.
Other priorities included interstate cooperation, internal security, economic growth, industrial investment, education and healthcare.
Participants were expected to consider special fast-track courts. These courts would handle cases involving sexual offences against women and children.
Zonal councils promote dialogue between the Union and state governments and encourage cooperative solutions to regional concerns.
Officials said the Kovalam meeting would strengthen administrative coordination and cooperative federalism. They further planned practical follow-up mechanisms, including regular departmental exchanges and faster implementation of jointly agreed decisions.
