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We have requested central team to visit region, assess water crisis: Karnataka deputy CM
Shivakumar reiterated that Karnataka is currently unable to allocate additional water resources to Tamil Nadu
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar announced on Friday that the state government has formally requested a central team to visit the region and assess the water scarcity issue affecting the Cauvery basin. While providing an update on the ongoing legal dispute regarding the sharing of river water, Shivakumar said, the government is diligently preparing for the upcoming Supreme Court hearing.
“We have presented a compelling case, highlighting the challenges of releasing water. Our preparations extend to both the Supreme Court and the monitoring authority, and we are hopeful that the prevailing circumstances will lead to a just resolution,” the deputy chief minister said. Shivakumar reiterated that Karnataka is currently unable to allocate additional water resources to Tamil Nadu. “We have firmly presented our argument that it is highly challenging for Karnataka to release water. Furthermore, we have made a formal request for a team to visit the Cauvery river basin to evaluate the on-ground situation,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka state Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) released a report on Friday, indicating a 54% shortage in water levels across reservoirs within the Cauvery river basin. The Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam, for instance, currently holds 20.83 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet of water against its maximum capacity of 49.45 tmc feet, with an inflow of 3,661 cusecs and an outflow of 4,738 cusecs. The Hemavathi, Harangi, and Kabini reservoirs have water storage levels at around 49%, 97%, and 77%, respectively, the report stated.
Former Karnataka chief minister, BS Yediyurappa, however, criticised the Congress-led government, alleging that they have been releasing water despite the shortage to appease their political allies in Tamil Nadu. Yediyurappa argued, “The government is politicising the Cauvery water issue and has failed to effectively present its case to the Supreme Court. This indirectly aids the DMK government in Tamil Nadu.” Opposing the proposal to form an all-party delegation to approach the central government, former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Basavaraj Bommai said, “There is no need for an all-party delegation to engage with the central government. Instead of writing letters to the Centre, the government should correspond with Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin.” The BJP leader pledged support to the government if they stop releasing the Cauvery water and expressed suspicions regarding the discussions with the legal team.
The BJP has already convened a meeting, led by Yediyurappa, to plan the Cauvery Rakshana Yatra in the Cauvery basin districts, with the participation of MLAs and MPs from these areas, a BJP media group said.
Meanwhile, following the Karnataka government’s announcement that it cannot release more water and its decision to approach the Supreme Court, various farmer associations, including the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah, have suspended their protests. “Continuing the protest makes no sense since the government has halted water releases. Tamil Nadu receives two monsoons, whereas we only receive one, which has also been insufficient. They are demanding water for a third crop, while we are advocating for the first crop,” Puttannaiah explained.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced that the state government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) directions that mandated Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for an additional 15 days, starting from Thursday.
He also, wrote a letter to Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, saying that practical implementation of the directive would endanger the interests of farmers for irrigation, as well as the well-being of humans and livestock depending on the Cauvery river system for drinking water.
