Karnataka in acute water crisis, can't release water for Tamil Nadu, says Siddaramiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said that the state will not be able to share River Cauvery's water with Tamil Nadu as the rainfall deficit has left the state in acute water crisis.

Addressing a delegation of Tamil Nadu farmers, Siddaramaiah said, "We have only 50 TMC of water, that is 50 percent deficiency, we need water for drinking purposes. Nearly 40 TMC of water will be needed we will be left with just 20 TMC, with that we will have to irrigation and give Tamil Nadu, please understand our position."

The delegation had appealed to the Karanataka government to release water for the samba crops. Siddaramaiah told the delegation that due to inadequate rainfall the water in the catchment area has reduced by half and therefore state is not in position to share the water. However, he assured that if there are good rains in the coming days and the water level in the catchment area increases the state will release water to TN.

TROUBLED WATERS

Based on the repeated demands made by the TN farmers, Siddaramaiah had now called for a meeting of the floor leaders of both houses to discuss the situation on the deficit rainfall and release of water.

The Tamil Nadu government had recently moved court to get its share of water. But the Karnataka government had clarified their stand and said that they were ready for a legal battle of need be.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday groups of people took out a protest march in Trichy flaying the Karnataka government's failure in releasing Cauvery water as per the tribunal.

Last week around 6000 farmers and cadres of several political parties staged road blockades demanding the release of water for Samba cultivation. Consequently, several arrests took place across 116 locations in Thanjavur and Thiruvarur on August 20.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president HD Kumaraswamy also held protests along with the farmers in Mandya saying that if the water is not released to TN, the farmers along the Cauvery delta will die of thirst and starvation.

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