Karnataka govt will decide on declaring areas hit by drought on Sept 4

Karnataka agriculture minister N Cheluvarayaswamy on Thursday said that the decision to announce drought in affected areas in the state will be taken on September 4

Karnataka agriculture minister N Cheluvarayaswamy on Thursday said that the decision to announce drought in affected areas in the state will be taken on September 4. While talking to the media in Bengaluru, she said that the cabinet sub-committee will meet and assess the extent of crop damage due to deficit rainfall.

The decision to announce drought in affected areas of the state will be taken on September 4. (Bloomberg)

“Karnataka is in a very bad situation now, as there has been deficit rainfall. Though sowing has been completed in 81% of the target area, farmers may not get the expected yield owing to the dry spell. The cabinet sub-committee meeting will decide on declaring drought-hit areas on September 4,” he said.

Meanwhile, with Karnataka starting the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in compliance with the directives of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), protests have erupted in southern parts of the State.

The Karnataka government on Wednesday started releasing 5,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water to TN following the CWMA’s August 28 directive to it.

Various farmers’ bodies staged demonstrations in Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar in Cauvery heartland against the government’s move. Following the release of water from KRS reservoir, farmers led by Melukote MLA Darshan Puttanaiah launched an overnight protest on the road leading to Brindavan Garden. MLA Darshan Puttanaiah (who was backed by the Congress in the Assembly election), accompanied by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) leaders, raised slogans against the Government and Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) for releasing water.

Karnataka farmers, especially from districts in and around Cauvery and Kabini river and Krishnaraja Sagar dam in Mysuru have been staging protests since Thursday. Farmers in Mandya took out a march raising slogans against the Congress government, chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, who holds the Water Resources portfolio.

In Srirangapatna, farmers staged a ‘shirtless’ protest. Standing in the Cauvery river, they held the water in their palm and raised slogans blaming the state government for taking an ‘anti-farmers stand’.

Former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday demanded that the state government immediately stop the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, file an appeal in the Supreme Court and fight a legal battle.

The BJP leader accused the Congress government of failing to protect the interests of farmers and the drinking water needs of people in Karnataka.

“The government has been faltering on the Cauvery issue since the beginning. Already about 15 TMC water, by way of releasing 10 thousand cusecs (cubic feet per second) water every day, has been released as per the order of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directive but yet no legal action has been taken against it,” he alleged.

Bommai wondered as to what was the point of deputy CM DK Shivakumar discussing with legal experts now when the government has already started releasing 5,000 cusecs of water daily on the instructions of CWMA.

An appeal against the previous order should have already been filed with the Supreme Court, which has not been done yet, he said. “I demand that the release of water should be immediately stopped and an appeal to the Supreme Court should be filed and a legal fight should be initiated by making strong convictions. The Congress government has failed to protect the drinking water requirements of Karnataka state and the interest of the farmers,” Bommai said.

Earlier, CWMA had ordered Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs of water daily for 15 days. Karnataka later appealed to the authority against its order saying that there were inadequate rains in the watershed regions of Cauvery. The CWMA ordered Karnataka to release water to ensure that 5,000 cusecs reach Biligundlu in Tamil Nadu daily till September 12.

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on August 31 informed the Supreme Court that it has directed Karnataka to ensure the realisation of flows in Biligundulu at the rate of 5,000 cusecs, starting from August 29, for the next 15 days. The CWMA submitted that Karnataka had released a total of 1,49,898 cusecs of water at Biligundulu from August 12 to 26.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar on Thursday held a consultation with legal experts and officials at Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi regarding the Cauvery River water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

“We had a meeting with all our legal experts. Now, the entire team is on the way to meet our senior advocate who is representing Karnataka...We have been given an order to release 5,000 cusecs of water. It is a big pain to Karnataka because there is no water. There is no rain...I hope they will respect the sentiments and farmers of Karnataka. We also respect the farmers of Tamil Nadu. But still, Karnataka is in a very grave situation...Our appeal is that the only solution is Mekedatu...Mekedatu is not for Karnataka, it will help Tamil Nadu,” he said following the meeting.

(With PTI inputs)