Mysuru, August 1: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar urged organizations to withdraw their protests against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. He emphasized that once the reservoir is full, there will be no option but to release the water.
Speaking to reporters at Mysuru Airport, Shivakumar noted that the Kabini reservoir is filling rapidly, and once it reaches its storage capacity, the government will have no choice but to release water.
He stated, “The Kabini reservoir is filling up. Once the dam is full, we must release the water. It is not possible to hold it back. I humbly appeal to those planning protests against the release to reconsider their decision.”
In response to questions about the protests, the Chief Minister mentioned that officials are providing hourly updates on the water levels in Kabini. The inflow has reached 40,000 cusecs. “Nature does not belong to anyone. Even if we decide not to release water, once the reservoir is full, it cannot be stopped,” he added.
Shivakumar urged protesters not to gather near the release points, warning that fast currents could pose serious risks to life. He asserted that there is no solid basis for calling a Karnataka bandh. While democratic protests should be respected, such demonstrations are unnecessary given the current situation.
He recalled that previous governments led by S. Bangarappa, S.M. Krishna, H.D. Deve Gowda, and Siddaramaiah made decisions based on circumstances. The Supreme Court has ordered the release of 177 TMC of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, and this order must be respected while also safeguarding the interests of our farmers.
The Chief Minister stated that the court’s decision aims to balance the interests of both states. He referred to the efforts made by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Delhi, noting that the Cauvery Water Management Authority has complete information on the water levels in the reservoirs.
He further mentioned that compared to previous situations, they have not released even half the amount of water yet, despite their demands being rejected. He accused the BJP of politicizing the issue and referenced H.D. Kumaraswamy’s statements, claiming that Tamil Nadu leaders are pursuing political interests.
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