Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar Met With Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Over The Cauveri Dispute

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar met Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Jaipur seeking centre”s intervention in the Cauvery dispute while attending an International Conference On Dam Safety. Earlier the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) asked the Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days at the rate of 5000 cusecs.

Karanataka objected the decision by stating that the state cannot release that much water as the four reservoirs across the Cauvery basin in Karnataka is facing depletion and the state itself barely have the necessary water supply.

On 13th September, the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote a letter addressed to the Union Minister of Jal Shakti Mr. Shikhawath by stating that “Karnataka is not in a position to release any more water from its reservoirs” by listing out “few relevant facts in support of the distress situation in the water availability”.

The letter pointed out the shortfall as high as 58.93% of the inflow of the water 1.06.2023 to 11.06.2023 which was “only 104.273 TMC (Thousand million cubic) in comparison to the last thirty-year average of 228.793 TMC.

The letter also stated that Tamil Nadu is not facing any distress and the statement by the state in the rejoinder about having “only 5.60 lakh acres of irrigation as of 23.08.2023 is misleading” and incorrect. The letter also reprimanded Tamil Nadu for opening “extensive areas for growing paddy crops” like normal years disregarding the distress condition in Karnataka.

Mr. Siddaramaiah also added that the CWRC decision “cannot be practically implemented”, and sought centre to suggest solutions to unburden Karnataka from the Cauvery dispute and to “safeguard the interests of the farmers and people in this “draught affected year”.

Karnataka BJP hit at the Congress by calling out Siddaramaiah for writing to the centre in every distress moment and pointing fingers against the centre at every chance.

With inputs from agencies.