'Under Arrogant UPA Pressure': BJP Hits Out At Karnataka Govt Over Cauvery Water Dispute

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said the state would release 10 tmc of water from Cauvery basin to the neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Union minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar on Monday hit out at Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar who said that Karnataka would release 10 tmc ft of water from the Cauvery basin to the neighbouring state. The Minister of State alleged that Shivakumar who is also in charge of the Water Resources department did not consult with the court or other parties before taking the decision. "In the background of all the challenging events for farmers. Karnataka CM and Dy CM DK Shivakumar have announced releasing 10 TMC Cauvery water without consulting the court and other parties,” he said. 

Targeting the United Progressive Alliance, the Union minister said, “They are doing this under pressure from DMK under the arrogant alliance of UPA. Karnataka's farmers are paying with their lives and occupation for this kind of politics,” as per an ANI report. 

Shivakumar said that the state doesn't have sufficient water in dams to meet its requirements like drinking water and agriculture due to the deficit monsoon.

On Friday, he informed that the Karnataka government wrote to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) urging it to review the order asking the state to release 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu on a daily basis for the next 15 days.

On August 11, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said that the state had emphatically put forth its requirement but despite that, Karnataka changed its stand and said they would release only 8,000 cusecs of water, that too, till August 22.

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to constitute a bench to hear the Cauvery River water-sharing dispute case after Tamil Nadu government moved the apex court  seeking fresh directions on the release of water from Karnataka, claiming the neighbouring state has "changed its stand" and came forward to release only a reduced quantum of 8,000 cusecs of water as against 15,000 cusecs that was decided earlier, as per a PTI report.

Speaking on the matter in the Supreme Court, former Karnataka Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Basavaraj Bommai urged the State government to protect the interest of the people of Karnataka. 

"SC has formed a bench on this issue. I urge the state govt to strongly take up the case of the people of the Cauvery region. The state govt should protect the interest of the people of Karnataka."