Bengaluru, July 29: Karnataka has decided to contest the directive issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) that mandates the state to release water to Tamil Nadu. This decision was announced on Wednesday by the state’s Water Resources Minister, Ramalinga Reddy.
Minister Reddy stated that due to insufficient rainfall and low water levels in reservoirs, Karnataka is currently unable to release water to Tamil Nadu.
Following a meeting with senior officials from the Water Resources Department, Cauvery Basin authorities, and legal experts at Vidhana Soudha, Reddy held a press conference. He mentioned that Karnataka has only 46 TMC of water available at the moment. Consequently, the state cannot comply with the CWRC’s order to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu over the next 15 days.
“The CWRC has instructed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu starting Thursday morning for the next 15 days. However, our current situation does not allow us to do so. Therefore, we have decided to appeal against this directive before the Cauvery Water Management Authority,” Reddy explained.
He highlighted that this year, the rainfall in the Cauvery Basin has been significantly lower than normal, with a recorded decrease of about 66 percent.
“Our reservoirs currently hold only 46 TMC of water, while approximately 12 TMC is needed to meet drinking water requirements in 10 districts of the state. Thus, it is not feasible for us to comply with the CWRC’s directive,” he added.
Reddy dismissed allegations from opposition leader R. Ashok that Karnataka failed to present its case effectively before the CWRC. He asserted, “These allegations are completely false. Our chief technical advisor on interstate water disputes, Sri Ramaiyya, has consistently represented Karnataka’s interests before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and continues to do so. He has served as the legal advisor during both our government and the BJP’s administration. Various governments have relied on his expertise for nearly 30 years.”
He clarified that Karnataka has not released any water to Tamil Nadu so far. He also stated that the responsibility for all decisions and monitoring related to water release lies with the central government.
“We have never stated that we will release water to Tamil Nadu. We have only mentioned that we are filing an appeal in this matter. Therefore, I do not understand why the BJP is protesting and demanding farmers’ movements,” he remarked.
Regarding the water situation in Tamil Nadu, Minister Reddy claimed that the neighboring state is in a better position compared to Karnataka.
“According to current data, the Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu has about 41 TMC of water, and water storage there has been managed more effectively. The state does not face any drinking water crisis. Additionally, they have received around 36 TMC of water from rainfall,” he stated.
He noted that under the agreed arrangements, Karnataka was supposed to release 39 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu this season. However, he emphasized that such responsibilities can only be fulfilled when there is normal rainfall and sufficient water availability in the state.
“If the rainfall had been adequate, we could have supplied the necessary amount of water, but the rainfall in the Cauvery Basin has been significantly lower than normal,” he explained.
In response to reports about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s visit to Karnataka for discussions on the Cauvery water dispute, Minister Reddy said he has no official information regarding this matter.
“I am aware that there have been discussions between D.K. Shivakumar and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, but I have no official information about their proposed visit or its purpose. The Chief Minister can provide better insights on this,” he added.
The minister mentioned that the Cauvery Water Management Authority may soon convene a meeting to consider Karnataka’s appeal. He stated that the state is now awaiting that meeting and its decision.
“The CWRC has issued its order. The next step is to appeal before the Cauvery Water Management Authority. We will see what decision the authority makes in its meeting,” he concluded.
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