BENGALURU: The Cauvery water-sharing dispute escalated on Friday as South Indian Rivers Linking Farmers’ Association president P Ayyakannu demanded that the Tamil Nadu government approach the Supreme Court to claim Rs 1 lakh crore in damages from Karnataka, accusing the neighbouring state of flouting the apex court’s water-release order. Speaking to reporters, Ayyakannu alleged that Karnataka had failed to release water to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the Supreme Court’s judgment, which he said was the reason the Tamil Nadu government had been unable to supply water to its farmers.
He claimed Karnataka was currently releasing only 7,000 cusecs of water against a required minimum of 18,000 cusecs. When contacted for a response, Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister N S Cheluvarayaswamy declined to comment.
Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Gaurav Gupta said he “would not like to respond to the statement.”
The remarks drew sharp criticism from farmer leaders in Karnataka. Kurubur Shantakumar pointed out that numerous taluks across Chamarajanagar, Mysuru and Mandya districts have been declared drought-hit, leaving no water available for crops in the region, even as calls are being made to sue Karnataka.
Chandrashekar, who said he has personally studied the Cauvery basin from Bhagamandala to the coast, questioned how such claims could be made while more than 120 taluks in Karnataka are reeling under drought.