Karnataka: Seer Lends Support to Cauvery Protests in Mandya

BENGALURU: Lending support to the protest staged members of Ratha Hitarakshana Samiti in Mandya district on Friday against release of water to Tamil Nadu on the orders of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), seer of Adichunchanagiri Mutt, a prominent religious institution, Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji stated “The situation has become inevitable to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also with Union Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat over River Cauvery dispute.”

Swamiji told reporters in Mandya that the Central Government should come to the rescue of the State Government and that the State Government should come to the rescue of the farmers and eventually the Government elected by the people should initiate steps to safeguard the people.

“The current situation in Karnataka does not permit us to discharge water,” said the seer and asked the State Government to take “cautious” step over release of water to Tamil Nadu so as not to be caught in a legal tangle. He pointed out that the State Government had in the past been caught in legal tangle over River Cauvery release.

He asked the State Government to once again make an appeal to the Supreme Court and explain to the Court that distress sharing formula for sharing River Cauvery has not been ready and also bring to the notice of the Court that the water level in Cauvery basin of Karnataka is low while Tamil Nadu water has more storage of water in its reservoirs.

Swamji said Bengaluru city alone needs about 20 tmc of feet to meet its drinking water needs and stated that the State Government should take steps to meet the drinking water requirements which is the top priority.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru stated that the State Government should file a review petition in the Supreme Court and explain to the Court certain points such as drinking water requirements for Bengaluru city and that the reservoirs in Tamil Nadu having enough storage of water to their requirements.

Bommai also wanted the State Government to bring it to the notice of the Supreme Court that monsoon has ended in Karnataka while Tamil Nadu still gets enough rainfall in coming months.