MYSURU: Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said on Wednesday that it will be difficult for Karnataka to release Cauvery water till the Supreme Court pronounces its verdict on Tamil Nadu's petition.
He told reporters at Nagamangala near here that the state's legal team will again present the distress situation in Karnataka before the Cauvery Water Management Authority.
He said water in the KRS reservoir is sufficient only to meet the drinking needs of the people. It will be difficult to release water even for irrigation in the Cauvery basin of the state. The inflow into the KRS and Kabini reservoirs is poor because of scanty rainfall in the Cauvery catchment areas of the state.
In view of the Supreme Court posting the case for hearing on September 21, Chaluvarayaswamy said that he will hold discussions with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar on the decision to be taken to protect the interests of farmers and on the state's next move. "We are expecting a favourable judgment in favour of the state in the Supreme Court," the minister said.