Cauvery dispute: Karnataka CM delays decision; farmers protest; BJP, JD(S) leaders skip all-party meet

As many as nine lawmakers, including Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha leader and MLA Darshan Puttannaiah, and Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha leader and MLA Janardhan Reddy were present.

In the meeting, the chief minister said that the government would file a petition before the Supreme Court and the CWRC committee on the matter.

He also reiterated that the government was committed to protecting the interests of farmers, people, and the state.

Meanwhile, farmers’ associations in Mandya continued to protest against the CWMA near the Krishna Raja Sagara dam.

Explainer: Unraveling the over-a-century-old Cauvery river dispute

‘Insufficient water’

Stating that Karnataka did not have sufficient water to comply with the orders of CWRC, Siddaramaiah pointed out: “We need around 70 tmc to protect our crops and another 33 tmc for drinking water. But we have only 53 tmc left in the Cauvery basin. We don’t have sufficient water in Karnataka.”

Siddaramaiah told reporters: “We don’t have any qualms in releasing water during normal days. But during the difficult times, because of not having a distress formula, we are ending up in a hardship.”

He continued: “We should have released 99 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu, but we released only 37 tmc. We need 70 tmc to protect standing crops, another 33 tmc for drinking-water purposes, and 3 tmc for industrial usage. At present, we have only 53 tmc of water in the Cauvery basin. Despite our officials presenting the ground reality before the committee, the CWRC ordered us to release 5,000 cusecs of water.”

ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @siddaramaiah ಅವರು ವಿಧಾನಸೌಧದ ಸಮ್ಮೇಳನ ಸಭಾಂಗಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾವೇರಿ ಜಲ ವಿವಾದ ಕುರಿತಂತೆ ಸರ್ವಪಕ್ಷಗಳ ತುರ್ತು ಸಭೆ ನಡೆಸಿ ಚರ್ಚಿಸಿದರು.
ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಉಪ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @DKShivakumar, ಸಚಿವರಾದ @DrParameshwara, @HKPatilINC, ಚೆಲುವರಾಯಸ್ವಾಮಿ, ಕೆ.ಹೆಚ್. ಮುನಿಯಪ್ಪ, ಕೆ.ಎನ್. ರಾಜಣ್ಣ, @NsBoseraju, ಕೆ.ವೆಂಕಟೇಶ್‌,… pic.twitter.com/2llDuvQM6w

— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) September 13, 2023

Expressing concern over Karnataka recording the lowest rains in the last 123 years in August, he said: “This year, the state has witnessed rain deficit. The water levels at all four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin are not overwhelming. Hence, deliberations were made about future legal and political measures and the help of the Union Government. I will once again write a letter to the prime minister seeking his appointment to take an all-party delegation to him on the matter.”

He added: “We have two options left. One is to appeal before the management committee and another to approach the apex court stating that we don’t have sufficient water to release to Tamil Nadu. Shivakumar will fly to Delhi and hold a meeting with the state legal team and the advocate general on the matter. We need to protect the interests of our farmers. Being the chief minister, I agree that it is difficult to release water to the neighbouring state.”

He appealed to all parliamentarians to pressure the Union government on the matter.

Shivakumar, who holds the Water Resources portfolio, is also likely to meet Union Minister for Water Resources Gajendra Singh Shekawat on the matter.

After the all-party meeting, Shivakumar told reporters: “It has been decided to protect the interests of our farmers. The MPs and leaders from the ruling and Opposition parties have assured us of raising their voices in Parliament. A distress formula has not been chalked out. Hence, the leaders — irrespective of their affiliation to political parties — have decided to fight unitedly to protect the interests of the state.”

Also read: Karnataka is releasing Cauvery water to TN, SC is informed

The CWRC order

Despite Karnataka facing severe drought, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has directed the Karnataka government to release 5,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu until 27 September.

The CWRC meeting, with officials of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in Delhi on Tuesday, saw it direct the Karnataka government to ensure 5,000 cusecs of water every day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.

According to sources: “The officials representing Karnataka highlighted the severity of the drought in the Cauvery basin and increasing risk even to meet the drinking water needs and minimum needs of irrigation. They also made it clear to the CWRC that it would be impossible under such circumstances to release water unless the inflows improved.”

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu urged the CWRC to ensure 12,500 cusecs (including a backlog of 6,500 cusecs) for the next 15 days.

The CWRC recommended on 28 August that Karnataka release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. The Cauvery Water Management Authority upheld the recommendations of the CWRC.

Complying with the CWRC, the Siddaramaiah government released over 5,000 cusecs of water till 12 September. Karnataka released over 6.5 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu in the last 15 days.

Related: TN, K’taka upset over order to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water

Water level dips in KRS dam

In the midst of monsoon failure, the water level in Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir has dipped below 50 percent.

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC): “The KRS dam recorded water storage of 21.09 tmc against the maximum capacity of 49.45 tmc on Wednesday. The inflow stands at 2,741 cusecs and outflow stands at 4,498 cusecs.”

It added: “The four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin have only 55 percent of water left. Harangi, Hemavathi, and Kabini have water storage around 98, 51, and 76 percent, respectively.”

Even the Cauvery basin has recorded over 30 percent rain deficit since the onset of monsoons in Karnataka.

“The South Karnataka and Malnad regions recorded 20 and 41 percent rain deficit, respectively. Kodagu, Mysuru, Mandya, and Chamarajanagara have all recorded rain deficits this monsoon,” according to the KSNDMC.

Also read: Future of 8 new Karnataka universities hangs in the balance

Senior BJP, JD(S) leaders absent

Meanwhile, several BJP and JD(S) leaders — including former Chief Ministers BS Yediyurappa, and HD Kumaraswamy — did not turn up for the all-party meeting chaired by Siddaramaiah.

However, the former chief ministers appeared to prioritise their party and personal commitments over the Cauvery dispute.

Yediyurappa flew to Delhi to take part in the BJP parliamentary board meeting on the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Bommai and Kumaraswamy were preoccupied with personal commitments in Shiggaon and Hassan, respectively.

Bommai said: “I am unable to attend the meeting called by the government as I am taking part in various programmes in my Assembly segment.”

ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕಾವೇರಿ ವಿವಾದ ಕುರಿತು ಚರ್ಚಿಸಲು ನಿನ್ನೆ ತಡರಾತ್ರಿ ಸಭೆಗೆ ಆಹ್ವಾನ ನೀಡಿದೆ. ಆದರೆ, ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಪೂರ್ವ ನಿಯೋಜಿತ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾಲ್ಗೊಂಡಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕರೆದ ಸಭೆಗೆ ಹಾಜರಾಗಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಗುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ.

ಕಾವೇರಿ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ನಮ್ಮ ನಿಲುವು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿದೆ. ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಯಾವುದೇ ಕಾರಣಕ್ಕೂ ತಮಿಳು…

— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) September 13, 2023

He added: “Our stand is clear on the Cauvery river. The state government should not release water to Tamil Nadu for any reason. The government should apprise the Supreme Court and the CWMA of the ground reality.”

Criticising the government, Kumaraswamy told reporters: “I will also not be able to attend the all-party meeting as I am taking part in an event in Hassan. It is shocking to read the CWRC order. I would like to suggest that the Chief Minister and his deputy, who is also water resources minister, not release water to Tamil Nadu.”

He added: “The government should have said in the beginning that it cannot release water to the neighbouring state. Why didn’t it announce its stand then? Why is the government called for an all-party meeting on the matter? How will they ensure proper supply of drinking water to Bengaluru?”

ನಿತ್ಯವೂ ನೆರೆರಾಜ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ 5,000 ಕ್ಯೂಸೆಕ್‌ ಕಾವೇರಿ ನೀರು ಹರಿಸಬೇಕೆಂದು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾವೇರಿ ಜಲ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ ಸಮಿತಿ (CWRC) ಕೊಟ್ಟಿರುವ ನಿರ್ದೇಶನ ಆಘಾತಕಾರಿ. ಯಾವ ಕಾರಣಕ್ಕೂ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರಕಾರ ನೀರು ಹರಿಸಬಾರದು.1/8#ಕಾವೇರಿ_ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ_ಹಕ್ಕು

— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 13, 2023

He further said: “This government does not have the least knowledge, strength and courage on how to protect the interests of the farmers, people and state. The government has not considered the committee and authority meetings seriously. Our officials are attending the meetings virtually, whereas the officials from the neighbouring state were not only present in person but also argued with proper data. If such is the state of our state, how is it possible to protect the interests of the state?”

He also expressed disappointment over the authorities concerned not coming up with a distress formula.

(With PTI inputs)