Bengaluru, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Monday urged the Cauvery Water Management Authority to reconsider its directions to release water to Tamil Nadu, saying the state's reservoirs were facing low storage amid a severe drought and the government has prioritised drinking water needs.
Parameshwara, who holds revenue portfolio, said Karnataka had never refused to release water to Tamil Nadu when there was sufficient availability, but questioned how it could release water for agriculture when its own reservoirs were depleted and farmers had been advised against raising crops.
"Today, the storage in Kabini dam is already below 50 per cent, while Harangi dam has also fallen to around half of its capacity. Krishnaraja Sagar dam too has not reached the level we had expected and is around 55 to 60 per cent," the Deputy Chief Minister told reporters here.
"When the situation is like this, how can we release water? The government has already decided that water should not be used for crops and should instead be conserved for drinking purposes," he said.
Parameshwara said repeated directions to release varying quantities of water, including 12,000 cusecs, 3,000 cusecs, 6,000 cusecs and 9,000 cusecs, had to be viewed in the context of prevailing situation in Karnataka.
{{/usCountry}}Parameshwara said repeated directions to release varying quantities of water, including 12,000 cusecs, 3,000 cusecs, 6,000 cusecs and 9,000 cusecs, had to be viewed in the context of prevailing situation in Karnataka.
{{/usCountry}}"In such circumstances, if we are asked to release water to Tamil Nadu for agriculture, we have to question the fairness of such a demand. The CWMA should therefore reconsider the matter in view of the prevailing situation," he said.
According to him, the state was facing a severe drought and people were experiencing considerable hardship.
The government, under the leadership of Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, would provide all possible assistance within its limits, he said, expressing hope that late rains would bring some relief.
"It may not be possible to save crops at this stage, even if it rains now, but rainfall would certainly help meet the drinking water requirements of people and provide water for livestock," Parameshwara noted.
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