Will Not Release 12,500 Cusecs of Water from Cauvery as Demanded by Tamil Nadu: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated on Tuesday that the state was not in a position to release the water demanded by Tamil Nadu. “We don’t have water and we will not release it,” Shivakumar stated.

Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar stated at his residence that, it was not possible to release 12,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu. “We are arguing that even release of 5,000 cusecs of water is not possible. We will not release it and it is impossible,” he said.

“We are making an appeal and let’s see what decision would be taken in this regard. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting is underway. Tamil Nadu is demanding 12,500 cusecs of water. We are in a position where we can’t even release 5,000 cusecs,” he reiterated.

It is not possible to hide the information regarding the outflow and inflow of water to dams. It is registered at Biligundlu reservoir. The officers of both the states monitor this. The state government can’t manage it as it is being done by the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC). Hence, Karnataka or Tamil Nadu can’t lie over the flow of water, Shivakumar explained.

“If we lie, they will present the real statistics and technical details. They won’t listen to us. The water level has increased due to rainfall in and around Bengaluru,” he stated.

Reacting to former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s criticism that the Congress government is the B-team of the Tamil Nadu DMK government, Shivakumar asked whether Kumaraswamy knew what his father, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda stated when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister?

“Let politics be set aside and the interest of the state be protected,” he maintained.

The CWMA is convening a meeting and officers from Karnataka are going to present facts. The interest of the state is paramount and the matter will be discussed by the Chief Minister and a decision will be taken in one or two days regarding the Cauvery issue, he stated.

Shivakumar thanked the people and organisations for carrying out the protest peacefully without any untoward incidents.