No Need for Cauvery Bandh as Karnataka Will Safeguard State’s Interests, Says DK Shivakumar
Chief Minister urges political parties and Kannada organisations to avoid protests as the government weighs legal options and monitors rainfall.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has appealed to political parties and Kannada organisations not to call for a bandh over the Cauvery water sharing dispute, assuring that the state government is fully committed to protecting Karnataka’s interests.
Speaking to reporters after an all party meeting held in response to directions issued by the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, Shivakumar said leaders across party lines had agreed to work together on the issue. He thanked opposition parties for extending their support and offering constructive suggestions.
The Chief Minister said Karnataka is experiencing a significant shortage of rainfall and that future decisions on water release and crop planning will depend on rainfall levels, reservoir storage and legal advice. He also urged farmers to remain patient until the government issues detailed guidelines.
The CWMA and CWRC have directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu. Shivakumar said reservoir levels had recently improved due to fresh rainfall, with the Kabini reservoir now reaching full capacity. However, he noted that the state has received only about 35 percent of its normal rainfall this year.
He said the government’s immediate priority is to secure drinking water. Water is currently being released through canals only to fill lakes and tanks meant for drinking purposes, and not for irrigation.
Shivakumar said Karnataka will continue to act within the legal framework and consult legal experts before taking any further steps. Responding to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s move before the Supreme Court on the Cauvery issue, he said the state would present its case after consulting its legal team.
Highlighting the impact of the rainfall deficit, the Chief Minister said Karnataka released only about 2.3 tmc of water in June this year compared with nearly 19.9 tmc during the same period last year. In July, the state released around 3.6 tmc compared with nearly 31 tmc a year earlier. He said the severe shortage made it impossible to meet the expected release of around 40 tmc by the end of July.
Shivakumar also reiterated that the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project remains the long term solution to the Cauvery dispute. He said the project would benefit both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and called for constructive dialogue between the two states. According to him, only minor documentation issues remain before the Detailed Project Report can move forward.
He further revealed that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay had agreed to postpone his planned visit to Bengaluru after Karnataka requested him to defer the trip in view of the current situation.
On the possibility of drought, Shivakumar said the government is closely monitoring rainfall and water availability across the state. Ministers have been visiting their districts to assess conditions and gather reports from farmers. He added that a clearer picture is expected by the end of August, after which the government will take appropriate decisions based on ground realities.
The all party meeting was attended by former Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah, BS Yediyurappa, HD Kumaraswamy, DV Sadananda Gowda, Basavaraj Bommai and Veerappa Moily, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, several state ministers, Members of Parliament, senior officials, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty and members of the state’s legal team.