We do not have water to release as much as TN has asked for says DCM DK Shivakumar

Bengaluru : Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said, "We cannot release as much water as Tamil Nadu has asked for, nor will we release. We do not have that much water."

Responding to the media near his Sadashivnagar residence, DCM Shivakumar said, “The Cauvery Water Management Committee meeting is going on and the people of Tamil Nadu have demanded 12,500 cusecs of water. At present we are in a situation where we cannot even release 5,000 cusecs of water”.

"The information of how much water is coming in and going out every day cannot be hidden. It is recorded every moment in the Biligundlu reservoir. It is monitored by the officials of both the states. It is not under the control of the state. It is under the Cauvery Water Management Committee. Therefore, neither I nor they can lie about the flow of water." .

"If we lie, they will keep a report in front of us. Technical issues will be given by the relevant officials. If we tell, they will not listen. As a result of rain falling all around, including Bangalore, the water level has increased a little".

Responding to Kumaraswamy's accusation that there is no Kannadiga government in the state, but Stalin's government, DCM said, "Does he know what Kumaraswamy's father Deve Gowda had said when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, and what letter he has written now? Let's leave politics in the matter of water and protect the interest of the state," he said.

Today there is a meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Committee and the state officials will present the facts to the committee. He said that the welfare of the state is our first priority, today or tomorrow I and the Chief Minister will discuss and give a decision.

At the same time, congratulations to the citizens of Bengaluru who cooperated with the Cauvery water bandh. Through the media, he thanked all the organizations that protested peacefully so that no untoward incidents took place. Deliberations of CWRC meeting in its 87th meeting held on 26 Sep.

Karnataka has made submission before CWRC requesting to report the following facts to CWMA that the shortfall in cumulative inflows to Karnataka’s four reservoirs upto 25 September is 53.04%. The Government of Karnataka in the order dated 13 September has declared 161 Talukas in the State as severely drought affected and 34 Talukas as moderately drought affected.

Out of this, 32 severely drought affected Talukas and 15 moderately drought affected Talukas fall in the Cauvery basin. This aspect needs utmost recognition and invites critical consideration by the committee. Karnataka is not in a position to release any water from its reservoirs or contribute any flows from its reservoirs to the flows to be maintained at the interstate border Biligundlu.

Tamil Nadu has urged CWRC that, Karnataka too has to reduce its Irrigation supply based on the distress proportion. Karnataka has to release shortfall quantity immediately and further flows as per the distress proportion. Finally CWRC recommended that Karnataka to ensure 3000cusecs realization at Biligundlu starting from 28 September ( 8am) upto 15 October.