K’taka in crisis, difficult to release Cauvery water to TN: CM Shivakumar on CWRC order

Chitradurga, Sep 24 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said the state was facing a crisis and indicated that it would be difficult to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in compliance with the latest direction of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).

Reacting to the CWRC order directing Karnataka to release 4,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, CM Shivakumar said the state government was examining the situation and would challenge the direction.

“I am getting information regarding the order to release Cauvery water by the CWRC. It is difficult to release water to Tamil Nadu as there is a crisis situation in the state regarding water,” the CM told reporters in Chitradurga.

He said the state would file an appeal against the order and stressed that Karnataka would release water if it were sufficiently available.

“We are filing an appeal. If there is water availability, we will release water,” he said.

CM Shivakumar said inflows into Karnataka’s reservoirs in the Cauvery catchment area had stopped and rainfall had also declined, making the situation difficult for the state.

“The inflow to state reservoirs in the Cauvery catchment area has stopped. There is pressure on us. The rain has stopped. I will verify this in the evening,” he said.

The Chief Minister said Water Resources Minister N. Chaluvarayaswamy was accompanying him and that he would examine the situation in detail before announcing the government’s next course of action.

“I have the Water Resources Minister along with me. What I can do in this situation, I will convey later,” CM Shivakumar said.

Karnataka has repeatedly cited declining inflows and water shortages in its Cauvery basin while opposing directions to release water to Tamil Nadu. The state had earlier told the Cauvery water management authorities that a substantial portion of the Cauvery basin was facing drought and that available reservoir storage had to be managed for drinking water and other essential requirements.

The Cauvery water-sharing dispute has intensified in recent months amid deficient rainfall and declining inflows into Karnataka’s reservoirs. Earlier in September, the CWRC recommended, and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) upheld a direction for Karnataka to ensure a flow of 6,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, prompting Karnataka to consider legal action.

The latest development comes amid a broader drought situation in Karnataka, with the state government seeking financial assistance from the Centre for relief measures. CM Shivakumar has also sought the advance release of the Centre’s share of the State Disaster Response Fund to provide relief to drought-affected farmers and families.

–IANS

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