Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said the state is in a “catch 22 situation”, following the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) direction to release water to Tamil Nadu, and sought the Centre’s intervention to resolve the issue. Also, Water Resources Minister Shivakumar urged the opposition BJP, its leaders and Members of Parliament to prevail upon the Prime Minister to bail out Karnataka, while noting that he will be travelling to Delhi to meet MPs and the Union Ministers during the ongoing Parliament session.
He also defended the state’s decision to release water to Tamil Nadu, citing advice of the legal team in view of the case coming up in the Supreme Court for hearing later this week, where non-compliance of CWMA orders may be viewed seriously.
The CWMA on Monday asked Karnataka to continue releasing 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days. “We are in a catch 22 situation, we do not have water, but still have to respect, whatever be the decision of the authority. We are appealing before the Apex Court. I’m going to Delhi to meet the MPs, we will also take a delegation to the central (Jal Shakti) Minister, we have also requested the PM to intervene and bail us out,” Shivakumar said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, “If there is water, we don’t mind (releasing water to TN). there has been no inflow, we are finding it very difficult. I think the central government has to help us out. BJP leadership (from the state) has to join us to save Karnataka.” CWMA’s directions come after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) last week recommended that Karnataka release 5,000 cusecs of water every day for the next 15 days to the neighbouring state.
Meanwhile, there are reports of water being released from Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) Dam, despite farmers protesting against it, in Mandya and other areas in the Cauvery basin region. Asked about former CM Basavaraj Bommai’s suggestion not to release water to Tamil Nadu and asking the state government to prepare for a legal battle, Shivakumar said, “We will consider this suggestion seriously, but his suggestions are aimed at putting us in a fix politically, in the court. We will fight (legally) there is no other word for this.” The Deputy CM sought to know what they (BJP) did on the issue when in power in the state. “Didn’t they release water overnight?” he asked.
