The government has been urged not to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as the water level in all major reservoirs in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka is precariously plummeting owing to poor rains.
A meeting was convened here on Thursday to discuss the Supreme Court orders pertaining to the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The meeting, led by Mandya Zilla Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti president G. Made Gowda, hoped that the government would stick to its resolution – passed during a special legislature session on September 23 – of using the available storage at the KRS and other reservoirs in the Cauvery basin for drinking purposes.
Drought has been affecting farmers and agricultural activities for the second consecutive year. The storage in all reservoirs in the Cauvery basin has already flowed to T.N. owing to the directions of the Cauvery Supervisory Committee and the apex court. The court had failed to consider the State’s arguments on the ground reality, the meeting opined. It has directed the State to continue the release water at the rate of 2,000 cusecs until further order.
The State government should not comply with the order, the meeting held. C.S. Puttaraju, MP for Mandya, M.S. Atmananda, the former Minister, and others were present. Later, the leaders visited the MIMS Hospital to check on the health condition of Arun, who had attempted suicide at Mandya district prison on Wednesday. Mr. Arun was arrested during the Cauvery agitations.
