Non-release of water to TN may lead to dismissal of govt: CM Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said the State Government agrees with farmers’ view not to release water to TN, but that can amount to contempt of court and lead to dismissal of the government. Explaining the government’s predicament to members of the Karnataka Jalasamrakshana Samithi — a group of organisations, including farmers’ associations, the CM said if water is not released to TN, the Centre can take control of the State’s reservoirs.

Siddaramaiah said the problem arose because of the rain deficit in August. Even this month so far, the State has received poor rainfall.

“We have raised this issue at the meetings of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). There is no sufficient water in our dams in the Cauvery basin. We have also filed an application before the Supreme Court,” the CM said.

The State needs 70 tmcft of water for irrigation, 30 tmcft for drinking purpose and 3 tmcft for industries.

“In all, the State needs 106 tmcft. But we have only 50 tmcft of water. Our first priority is to meet the drinking water needs of the people,” he said.

The farmers’ delegation met the CM before his meeting with the legal experts to decide on the action to be taken in view of the CWMA’s directive to the state to release 3,000 cusecs of water daily to TN till October 15.

The Samithi members urged the government to immediately stop releasing Cauvery water to TN. They appealed to the government to convene a special session of the State legislature to discuss the crisis and send a clear message to the Centre that it will not release water to TN till all stakeholders arrive at a consensus on a distress formula.

Earlier this week, the Bengaluru bandh called by the Samithi to protest against the release of Cauvery water to TN was near total.

Farmer leader Kurubur Shantakumar, former legislator, AAP state chief Mukyamantri Chandru and other leaders urged the CM to withdraw cases registered against members of various farmers’ associations and Kannada outfits for taking part in protests to protect the State’s interests.

The State should urge the Centre to constitute an independent committee of irrigation experts, representatives of farmers’ associations and officials from the riparian States on the lines of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to resolve the Cauvery crisis, the Samithi stated in its letter submitted to the CM. Mukhyamantri Chandru said the CWMA’s judgment is unscientific.