Cauvery dispute: CM Siddaramaiah calls emergency meeting

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called an emergency all-party meeting on Wednesday in Bengaluru to discuss the Cauvery water release.

The meeting chaired by CM Siddaramaiah will begin at 12:30 p.m. in Vidhana Soudha. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, ministers from the Cauvery Catchment region, senior cabinet colleagues, former CMs, Members of Parliament, and opposition leaders will participate in the meeting.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) in its latest recommendation has asked the Karnataka government to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 25 days from Wednesday onwards.

The state government has claimed that the release of water would endanger the supply of drinking water to south Karnataka districts, especially Bengaluru city.

Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar stated that the state was in no position to release the water as it doesn’t have enough storage for drinking water purposes, due to lack of adequate rainfall in the river basin region.

The matter is coming before the higher authority, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Wednesday, and Karnataka will vehemently put forward its stand before it, he said.

Shivakumar had also stated that the officers had been told to convey that the state is unable to release water. The Supreme Court had already stated that it wouldn't interfere in the matter.

The state government had held a meeting on Tuesday night regarding the next steps to be taken in view of the CWRC's recommendation.

The state government has come under a fix as in case the water is released, it will face a drinking water crisis in the region, including the capital city of Bengaluru. On the other hand, the state is also obligated to carry out the orders of water management bodies.

The farmers are also on the path of agitation opposing the release of water to Tamil Nadu.

With inputs from IANS