Agitation Intensifies in K'taka Over Cauvery Water Sharing with Tamil Nadu

Pro-Kannada organisations staged protests here on Wednesday against the CWRC's direction to Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for 15 days to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, with demonstrators declaring that the state could not spare "even a drop" amid concerns over drinking water availability.

Sporadic protests were also held in Mysuru and Mandya.

Members of a faction of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), led by its president Shivarame Gowda, and other pro-Kannada organisations, including those led by Sa Ra Govindu, held demonstrations near the Kuvempu statue in Malleswaram in this city. Protesters carried empty pots on their heads and marched raising slogans against the order of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.

Police erected barricades, deployed BMTC buses and detained several protesters before shifting them from the venue.

Calling the CWRC's direction "an unscientific order", Govindu said, "It has been nearly two months since the monsoon season began, yet not a single drop of water has flowed into the KRS dam. Today, people are struggling even for drinking water. There is no water for livestock or agriculture." Questioning the order, he said, "directing Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water every day for 15 days amounts to about 4.5 TMC of water. Where are we supposed to bring this water from." He added that it was simply not possible for releasing even a drop of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. "We stand with the farmers of Mandya. I appeal to all Kannadigas across Karnataka to condemn this unscientific order." KRV president Shivarame Gowda alleged that Karnataka had repeatedly been treated unfairly in the Cauvery dispute.

"Without understanding the ground realities, they have delivered an unscientific order. We, the people of Karnataka and our farmers, condemn this decision," he said, urging the state government to protect the interests of Karnataka's farmers.

The protesters warned that the agitation was only the beginning and could intensify if the state government proceeded with the water release to Tamil Nadu.

They argued that the prevailing water situation in Karnataka, particularly concerns over drinking water, must be taken into account before implementing the CWRC's directive.

Police maintained a heavy deployment in the area and took several activists into preventive custody after the demonstration.

Meanwhile, agitations took place in Mysuru, Mandya and Ramanagara against the CWRC order.

The opposition BJP alleged that Chief Minister D K Shivakumar-led Congress government failed in handling the Cauvery issue.

Speaking to reporters in Shivamogga, BJP state chief BY Vijayendra said the lawyers representing Karnataka before the CWRC had failed to provide comprehensive information on the availability of water in the state.

He said Karnataka's farmers were facing severe distress and that those in the Cauvery basin were suffering due to inadequate rainfall.

He alleged that the state government had released water to Tamil Nadu even before the CWRC issued its direction.