Karnataka Rakshana Vedike protests CWRC order directing release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu

This protest comes after Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday announced an all-party meeting on August 2 on the Cauvery River water issue.

Shivakumar said that former Chief Ministers, MPs and MLAs from the Cauvery basin area have been invited to the meeting.

He said that an appeal has been filed before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) after the panel directed Karnataka to release 3500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.

The Chief Minister further said that the issue had been discussed with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and MPs Somanna, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai, adding that they were making every possible effort in the interest of the state.

Meanwhile, from the other side, PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss criticised reports that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay may travel to Karnataka for talks on the Mekedatu dam project, warning that any such visit would be "highly detrimental" to the state's interests.

Speaking to reporters at Chennai International Airport before leaving for Delhi, Ramadoss claimed that Karnataka has continuously refused to release Cauvery water despite directions from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.

"There are currently 62 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) of water stored in Karnataka's reservoirs. Despite the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee directing Karnataka twice to release water, the state has refused, claiming there is no water to release. What is the point of holding talks with a government that refuses to release water even after such directions?" he asked, adding that Tamil Nadu could face drinking water shortages if the dam were built.

Ramadoss urged Vijay to convene an all-party meeting, framing the issue as one concerning the entire state rather than any single party.

"Even before constructing the Mekedatu dam, Karnataka is refusing to release water. If the dam is built, Tamil Nadu may not even have sufficient drinking water. It would be a grave mistake for the Chief Minister to visit Karnataka. He should first convene an all-party meeting. This is not a TVK issue; it is an issue concerning the entire state of Tamil Nadu. Karnataka is taking the matter in a different direction. The Chief Minister must not fall into this trap. The BJP at the Centre and the Congress government in Karnataka are conspiring together on the Mekedatu issue. Neither Tamil Nadu nor its Chief Minister should become victims of this conspiracy, " he said.

Earlier, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) had recommended that Karnataka release 3500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days. The committee has also recommended releasing a total of 4 TMC of water.

However, Karnataka stated that it cannot release water to Tamil Nadu due to a severe shortage in the Cauvery basin at the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).

According to Karnataka officials, there was no rainfall in the Cauvery catchment in June, and there was zero inflow into reservoirs.

"There has been some rain in a few places in July, and a small quantity of water has been stored in the dams. But there is no forecast of the monsoon picking up again," the Karnataka officials said.

Karnataka argued that the water currently stored must be used only for drinking purposes. "There is no water stored in our dams. The water available now is limited to drinking. Karnataka is facing a rainfall deficit the likes of which we have never seen before," the state submitted.

Tamil Nadu, however, insisted that water should be released as per the Supreme Court verdict.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had ordered Karnataka in 2018 to release 177.25 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu in order to resolve the long-standing Cauvery River water dispute.

After defining the share of water in its 2018 judgement, in September 2023, the Supreme Court observed that the CWRC had passed an order, which was affirmed by the CWMA and directed Karnataka to release 5000 cusec water per day from Krishnarajasagar and Kabini put together, at Biligundulu, Tamil Nadu, for 15 days. (ANI)