K’taka will appeal against order to release water to TN: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the state government has decided to appeal to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) against the order of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to release 1 TMC of water per day to Tamil Nadu.

“Despite weather forecasts indicating normal rainfall this time, there has been a 28 per cent deficiency in inflow so far. We had clearly stated our position to the CWRC and requested that no decision be made until the end of July,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said while addressing a press conference after holding a meeting with ministers and senior officials at the Home Office Krishna.

The Chief Minister said that a decision on the state's next steps will be taken at an all-party meeting on July 14. “We are united on the water issue in Karnataka that is why we have called an all-party meeting,” the Chief Minister said.

He said that all the Central ministers, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members from the Cauvery basin, and MLAs will also be invited to the meeting.

The CWRC has directed Karnataka to release 1 TMC of water per day starting from July 12.

“It was decided in today's meeting that the state government should appeal this order to the CWMA,” the Chief Minister said.

He also mentioned that while measuring at Biligundlu, the amount of water equivalent to the inflow into the Kabini Dam is being released to Tamil Nadu.

"Only 60 TMC of water is available in all four reservoirs of the Cauvery basin. We have to provide water for agricultural activities as well. Considering the shortage of rainfall, we have requested to wait until the end of July," the Chief Minister said.