BENGALURU/CHAMARAJANAGAR: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday that Karnataka has decided to appeal before the Supreme Court against the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) directive to release 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 18 days from September 28.
Siddaramaiah said in Chamarajanagar that he held discussions with the State’s legal team. “We have no sufficient water in our dams to release 3,000 cusecs to TN. We have decided to file an appeal in the top court,” he added.
Stating that the Cauvery Water Management Authority will hold a meeting on September 29, he said there will be no compromise on the State’s interests on sharing Cauvery water. The CM prayed for rain at the Male Mahadeshwara temple. DyCM DK Shivakumar said in Bengaluru that the State will not release a drop of water from KRS Dam to Tamil Nadu.
SC too orally supported the Mekedatu project: DKS
“On an average, 2,000 cusecs of water is flowing to TN daily. We will make alternative arrangements to release 1,000 cusecs more to TN. For us, Mandya farmers’ welfare is important,” DK Shivakumar said. Stressing on the need to implement the Mekedatu reservoir project, Shivakumar said leaders of opposition parties have written to the officials concerned on the importance of this project for Karnataka.
Even former prime minister HD Deve Gowda has written to PM Modi in this regard. “Why can’t they protest in New Delhi to draw the Union Government’s attention?” he said. He said the SC too had orally supported the project.
Even the BJP MPs spoke in favour of the project at the recent all-party meeting. The project could be completed in three years if approved. Shivakumar appealed to prominent Kannada organisations and farmers to withdraw their call for ‘Karnataka bandh’ on September 29. It will only cause inconvenience to the people of the State, he said.