Yes, water is being released to TN: Karnataka CM confirms
- CM Siddaramaiah agrees Cauvery water is released to Tamil Nadu ‘but only slightly’.
- Cauvery Tribunal orders are being followed, CM defends.
- Mekedatu project will not affect Tamil Nadu.
- Tenders called for cloud seeding to compensate rain shortage.
- Mandya farmers continue their protest against water release.
FollowDespite the protest by Mandya farmers intensifying, the State Government has released Kaveri water to Tamil Nadu and the Chief Minister has defended it, reported Kannada Prabha. The Chief Minister has said that if we don’t release water Tamil Nadu will go to Supreme Court. Speaking to newspersons on Monday, he said not all water that is running into KRS dam is being released but following Cauvery Tribunal orders slight water is being released.
Over 100 taluks in the State have not received adequate rains. After waiting for some more time cloud seeding will be taken up, tenders are already called for cloud seeding, CM said. The report that the State Government has submitted to Centre regarding Mekedatu Project is accurate and does not contain an iota of false. Yet Tamil Nadu has made a habit of protesting to it he alleged. The Mekedatu dam in no way stops water flowing to Tamil Nadu, he assured.
Responding to an allegation by B S Yeddyurappa that he talks in the singular, the Chief Minister said nobody need educate him with regard to using the singular. He also suggested that Shobha Karandlaje should put some sense into Yeddyurappa’s head about culture.
Meanwhile, the Mandya farmers continued to protest Kaveri water being released to Tamil Nadu. Members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Jaya Karnataka and other pro-Kannada associations staged a protest at the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle. A rasta roko was held at Mysuru Bengaluru highway at Maddur, Pandavapura and Koppa also reported protests.
Meanwhile in Bengaluru former chief minister and JD(S) State President H D Kumaraswamy said the State Government must first fill up the tanks and dams in the State before releasing water to Tamil Nadu. Condemning strongly the release of water he said there is no need to release water even before Tamil Nadu asking for it. We built dams not to release water to Tamil Nadu, he said. Unless the government changes its attitude the farmers will not pardon it. The compensation of Rs 25,000 announced last year for crop loss is yet to be paid. He said he is writing to the Chief Minister and to Irrigation Minister in this regard.
