Politics
Karnataka Claims Water Scarcity, Refuses To Comply With Cauvery Water Release Order
River Cauvery’s water sharing has been disputed between several states for years.
Karnataka has firmly rejected the latest recommendation from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
The recommendation was for the state to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily for the next 15 days, starting Wednesday.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar cited the severity of the drought in the Cauvery basin as the reason for the refusal.
As per a Times Of India report, he expressed concerns about the availability of drinking water and stated that there simply isn't enough water to release.
Shivakumar discussed the matter with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and they have informed officials that no more water can be released.
Shivakumar emphasized the need to save water for drinking purposes, in addition to addressing the plight of farmers who rely on the water for irrigation.
The final decision on the matter will be made by the Cauvery water management panel within the next two days.
Karnataka's stance is being justified by DKS, who stated that they will discuss the matter with legal experts in Delhi. They will then inform the Cauvery Water Management Authority of the difficulties they face in complying with the directive.
The higher committee, known as the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), will convene tomorrow to address the issue. Karnataka's secretary will be present as one of its members.
Karnataka restated their position that they cannot release any more water to Tamil Nadu unless there is an improvement in inflows into their reservoirs.
The CWMA will make a final decision on the CWRC's latest recommendation during their upcoming meeting, which is expected to take place in the next day or two.
Tamil Nadu has already filed a plea with the Supreme Court, seeking a directive to Karnataka for the release of Cauvery water for standing crops. Sources indicate that the case may be heard by the apex court next week.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the CWRC met on Monday and made a recommendation.
During Tuesday's CWRC meeting, Tamil Nadu insisted on receiving 12,500 cusecs of water daily for 15 days, including a backlog of 6,500 cusecs. Previously, on August 28, the CWRC had recommended that Karnataka release 5,000 cusecs of water daily.
In response, the CWMA had directed Karnataka to follow the recommendation until September 2.
As Karnataka complied with the directive, there were several farmer protests in Mandya and Mysuru.
On Monday, CM Siddaramaiah stated that the Central government had not given consent to the Mekedatu Project and accused Tamil Nadu of creating unnecessary disputes.
The BJP has urged the government to refrain from releasing water and has pledged its support in the legal fight over this matter.
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