CHITRADURGA: Karnataka will challenge the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) direction to release 4,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said here on Thursday, citing a water crisis in the state and declining inflows into its
reservoirs.
Reacting to the CWRC order, Shivakumar said it would be difficult for
Karnataka to release water in view of the poor inflows and lack of
rainfall. “I am getting information regarding the order to release Cauvery water by the CWRC. It is difficult to release water to Tamil Nadu as there
is a crisis situation in the state regarding water. We are filing an
appeal. If there is water availability, we will release water,” he
told reporters near the helipad of Sirigere Mutt in Chitradurga.
Shivakumar said inflows into reservoirs in the Cauvery catchment had
stopped and rainfall had declined. “There is pressure on us. The rain
has stopped. I will verify this." he said.
The Karnataka CM further said that Water Resources Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy was accompanying him and that the government would assess the water situation before deciding on its next course of action. “I will assess the water situation and discuss it with the Irrigation
Minister before informing you about the next course of action,” he
said.
The latest CWRC direction comes after the committee had earlier
recommended, and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) upheld, a direction for Karnataka to ensure a flow of 6,000 cusecs to Tamil
Nadu for 15 days earlier this month.
Karnataka had opposed the direction and indicated that it would consider legal action. The state has repeatedly cited declining inflows and water shortages in the Cauvery basin while opposing directions to release water to Tamil Nadu. It has maintained that reservoir storage must be managed
for drinking water and other essential requirements amid drought-like
conditions.
Plan to tackle drought
Shivakumar said the state government was preparing a framework to deal
with the emerging drought situation and assess the assistance required
from the Centre to support farmers.
“Since a drought-like situation has developed in the state, we need to
prepare a plan on how farmers should be assisted and what kind of
support is required from the Central government. These issues have
also been discussed in the Legislative Assembly. The government will
discuss and take the necessary measures,” he said.
He thanked Opposition leaders for cooperating with the government’s
proposal to send an all-party delegation to the Centre to present
Karnataka’s concerns.
Shivakumar also said leaders of different political parties had
supported the state’s position on the Kasturirangan report and
protection of the Western Ghats, keeping in mind the interests of the
Malnad and coastal regions.
“The government is working in the interests of farmers. We have
discharged our responsibility properly. The people of the state have
placed their trust in us. We are working to protect public interests
while retaining that trust,” he said.
Guarantee schemes elevating the poor
On demands by some BJP leaders for a review of the Congress
government’s guarantee schemes, Shivakumar said some Opposition
legislators had suggested revising the schemes and restricting
benefits to poorer sections.
“Different leaders have their own views on this. Even though Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and several BJP Union ministers and leaders had
earlier said that guarantee schemes could not be implemented, the
state government will continue to provide assistance to the poor,” he
said.
KPSC recruitment
On the controversy surrounding the Karnataka Public Service Commission
(KPSC), Shivakumar said the government would examine the legal
framework governing recruitment and examinations.
He said senior leaders, including Ugrappa, B L Shankar, Sudarshan and
Rani Satish, had conveyed their suggestions to the government, and
that he had also taken note of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s
statement on the issue.
“The legal framework relating to KPSC recruitment and examinations
will be examined. It is important that the officials and members
conducting the examinations are not subjected to any pressure and are
ensuring justice for students,” he said.
He said examinations and interviews should be conducted transparently
and fairly and that candidates who had appeared for competitive
examinations and secured good marks should receive justice.
Upper Bhadra visit
On his visit to the Chitradurga region, Shivakumar said the Election
Commission had fixed the schedule for the Legislative Council
elections, following which some government programmes had been
cancelled.
He said farmers in Hiriyur and Chitradurga had organised a
felicitation programme in connection with the Upper Bhadra project
works and the release of water through the project.