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The farmers in Karnataka have again decided to launch protests from Wednesday
NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, SEPT 12
Karnataka was ordered to release another 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on Tuesday passed the order in a virtual hearing after considering the submissions from both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Notably, the Karnataka government had appealed that it doesn’t even have enough drinking water to release from the basin.
According to the state government, the water level in the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir is depleting quickly and there will be a scarcity of drinking water in the days to come. Meanwhile, the farmers in Karnataka have again decided to launch protests from Wednesday.
Taking note of the severity of the drought in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka, which has been acute, putting at risk even the drinking water needs and minimum needs of irrigation, Karnataka made submissions that it is not in a position to release the water unless the inflows into the reservoirs improve.
Tamil Nadu in reply asked for more water from Karnataka and also asked for clearing the backlog. It urged for releasing a total of 12,500 cusecs of water (which is inclusive of the backlog of 6,500 cusecs) for the next 15 days. Finally, CWRC recommended Karnataka to ensure 5,000 cusecs realisation at Biligundlu (water measuring station) for the next 15 days starting Wednesday (September 13) morning.
The CWRC had issued a similar order on August 28 and the state government had filed a compliance report. Amid opposition from Karnataka, CWRC had ordered the state to release 5,000 cusecs of water for 15 days to Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had upheld the CWRC’s order. In the wake of the order, several demonstrations were made by the farmers in Srirangapatna, demanding the state government to stop the water release to Tamil Nadu.
