MYSURU/BENGALURU : In a major setback to Karnataka, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday directed the state to release 5,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days. The CWMA direction, on the same lines as that of Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), entails Karnataka to release water from Tuesday itself.
This has landed the Karnataka government in a catch-22 situation. It has to face the wrath of the farmers if it releases water, while not doing so may jeopardize its interests as the case is coming up before the Supreme Court on September 1.
Meanwhile, farmers in Mandya staged a massive protest and blocked the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway for some time following CWRC’s direction. All this is unfolding at a time when all top Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, are scheduled to be in Mysuru on Wednesday for the launch of the much-awaited Gruha Lakshmi scheme.
On Tuesday evening, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar held consultations with senior officers from the Water Resources Department and the state’s legal team on the action to be taken. The DyCM indicated that the state will follow the order to release water. “Would you like to be pulled up by the Supreme Court? We don’t like to be pulled up by the apex court. We are holding discussions with the CM and legal team,” Shivakumar told reporters in Mysuru.
Government sources said already “a good amount” of Cauvery water is being released to TN. “When we appear before the court, we need to show our data and we might release a partial amount of water,” the sources added.
Asked if the government will release water from Tuesday, Shivakumar said the key is with the Centre and not the state government. “We are taking advice from the Advocate General, and our lawyers and officials are fighting the case aggressively. Farmers also know the reality. We will decide tonight. CWMA has ordered the release of water from Tuesday night. But we need to look into the pros and cons of this,” he said as this paper went to the press.
Farmers to meet today to discuss future course
Shivakumar said Tamil Nadu had sought 24,000 cusecs of water per day. But the state’s technical and legal team protested saying it is not possible to release so much as the inflow into the dams in Karnataka is poor. Currently, the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir has 24 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of gross storage and 15 tmcft of live storage, while Kabini has 13 tmcft gross and 3 tmcft live storage, he said.
Sources said irrigation officials were awaiting orders to release water to Tamil Nadu. To ensure no untoward incidents following the CWMA direction even as authorities were considering release of water on Tuesday night, police security was being tightened in and around KRS and across Mysuru and Mandya districts.
Meanwhile, farmers in Mandya staged a massive protest and blocked the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway for sometime following an order from CWRC to release 5,000 cusecs of water to TN for the next 15 days.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, KS Nanjundegowda, farmer leader from Mandya, said Karnataka farmers will be affected if water is released to TN. This shows the failure of the state’s legal cell, he said.
“They have presented our case badly. This is why we farmers here are suffering. The water level in KRS reservoir has come down to 102 ft and if we release 5,000 cusecs daily for 15 days, which is around 7 tmcft, one can imagine our plight. Presently, 5,000 cusecs of water is released in the canals for 15 days and then stopped for the next 15 days. If the level in the reservoir comes down to 90 ft, the officials will stop releasing water in the canals as their first priority will be to save it for drinking purpose,” he said.
Farmers in Mandya will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss their next course of action.