Amidst the ongoing dispute over releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah convened an all-party meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday. In the meeting, the opposition parties were apprised of the prevailing ground situation, including updates on the legal battle at the Supreme Court.
During the session, CM Siddaramaiah briefed about the government’s intention to form an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the escalating water dispute between the two states.
Prominent attendees at the meeting included former chief ministers BS Yediyurappa, Veerappa Moily, HD Kumaraswamy, Basavaraj Bommai, Sadananda Gowda, and Jagadish Shettar. Additionally, several Members of Parliament (MPs) also participated in the discussions.
Following the meeting Siddaramaiah said the government has decided to take a non-negotiable stance concerning water, language, and border issues. “We have held an all-party meeting to communicate the real state of affairs and our Attorney General elaborated on the legal nuances. We will consider the suggestions from various party leaders. In defence of our farmers’ interests, we have strongly presented our arguments before the Cauvery Water Management Authority [CWMA],” the chief minister said.
Earlier this week, Tamil Nadu had approached the Supreme court with a plea to direct Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for standing crops
{{/usCountry}}Earlier this week, Tamil Nadu had approached the Supreme court with a plea to direct Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for standing crops
{{/usCountry}}Detailing about the situation of water, the chief minister explained, “Due to low rainfall this year, we were slated to release 86.38 thousand million cubic feet [TMC] of water but managed only 26 TMC. While July saw favourable rains, the lack of adequate rainfall in August posed challenges. Initially directed to release 15,000 cusecs per day, our effective arguments resulted in a reduction to 10,000 cusecs per day until August’s end.”
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the dispute. He sought the release of water for Karnataka’s farmers and the strategic storage of water for the state’s drinking needs. “The government’s representation before the CWMA has been ineffective. The current allocation of 10,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu is disastrous. We have assured our support for the government on water and border matters. Had we released water to our farmers earlier, this situation could have been averted,” Bommai said after the meeting.
Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy too questioned the release of water to Tamil Nadu. “Why the water has been released immediately after Tamil Nadu’s approached the Supreme Court?We should have contested the matter more robustly and retained our presence at the CWMA. We’ve provided valuable suggestions to the government, which remain confidential,” Kumaraswamy said.
Highlighting the issue of severe water shortage, Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar urged opposition parties to prioritise state interests over political agendas. Shivakumar emphasised that politics should not influence irrigation decisions. “The protection of the state’s interests is paramount, and the government will persevere in the legal battle. Cooperation from all leaders is vital to collectively safeguard the state’s interests,” Shivakumar said.
He acknowledged that despite the crisis in Karnataka, 10 TMC of water had been released to Tamil Nadu on August 16, underscoring the need for collaboration to support the farmers of both states. Shivakumar also criticised Tamil Nadu’s decision to resort to the Supreme Court, deeming it unnecessary.
Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty detailed the circumstances surrounding the water crisis. The failure of the South West monsoon in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka and Kerala has marked 2023-24 as a crisis year. Despite this, he revealed that the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee had considered the shortfall of rainfall until June.
As the situation unfolds, Karnataka’s farmer organizations continue their protests against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. The protests reflect concerns over drought-like conditions due to reservoirs’ dwindling water levels.
“Karnataka received below normal rainfall. Very little water is left in KRS dam and other reservoirs. There will not be enough water for irrigation, drinking, and factories if it is released to Tamil Nadu,” one of the protesting farmers told media.