Not a drop of water to TN from KRS, asserts DK Shivakumar

BENGALURU: While, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday stated that “Not a drop of water would be released from Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir in Mandya district to Tamil Nadu” but said to work out alternative ways to follow Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order which has asked Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu from Thursday till October 15.

He told reporters in Bengaluru city that “usually, 2,000 cusecs of water would flow into the River Cauvery but another 1,000 cusecs needs to be released and alternative ways would be worked out.”

Shivakumar said his government would not let down farmers of Mandya region and also would not compromise with the interests of farmers and asked the protesting Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal Secular leaders to jointly exert pressure on the Central Government to get nod for the construction of a balancing reservoir across River Cauvery at Mekedatu in Ramnagar district.

Seemed to be content with the CWMA order to release 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu, the DyCM asked the protesters “What is the need to stage protests (Karnataka bandh on Friday) when the amount of water release to Tamil Nadu has come down from Tamil Nadu’s demand of 12,500 cusecs.

But, JDS leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy alleged that the State Government released surplus water to Tamil and the water release was about 7,500 cusecs to Tamil Nadu following rainfall in Bhagamandala in Madikeri district catchment area of KRS reservoir while the Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu had water storage of about 11 tmc feet of water. The water level at Mettur reservoir stood at 38 feet.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told in Chamarajanagar that he discussed with the legal team after the order from CWMA to release 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil and the legal team has suggested to file objections to the fresh order from CWMA on water release to Tamil Nadu.

Siddaramaiah observed that “There is no water to release to Tamil Nadu.”