CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government will make a demand at the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s meeting on Friday afternoon that Karnataka release water at the rate of 12,500 cusecs daily.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of state-wide bandh call given by the pro-Kannada organisations, Tamil Nadu water resources minister Duraimurugan said the state was asking for as it lacked water and not that the upper riparian state did not have.
Krishnarajasagar reservoir in Karnataka has 42% storage as on Friday, against the storage of 97% recorded during the corresponding period last year. Similarly, Kabini has 69% storage (last year 96%), Harangi 80% (last year 90%), and Hemavathi 50% (last year 99%). Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu has only 12% as against the storage of 96% of last year.
“Karnataka refusing to release water despite having adequate storage in its reservoirs was unjust,” the minister said.
He criticised the Karnataka government for not adhering to the principle of natural justice and giving priority to the tail end areas of the riparian states.
“Only if both the states are friendly and affectionate can the people who move from state to state live there without fear. Leaving that aside, it is not fair to say that we will not respect the Supreme Court order, we will not respect the Cauvery water Management Authority and regulation committee’s orders, and the chief minister of Tamil Nadu’s request,” the minister said, pointing to thousands of people from both sides staying in either side besides the movement of vehicles in both ends.
Duraimururgan said those refusing to release water were not ordinary people but seasoned politicians like deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, holding the portfolio of water resources, and chief minister Siddaramaiah.
“I personally have high respect for them. In any case, they are releasing water by obeying the Supreme Court and the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s orders. I extend my gratitude,” the minister said. He justified the protests of farmers in Tamil Nadu claiming their rights in inter-state river water.
The senior DMK leader said the disruption of actor Siddharth’s presser in Bengaluru was unnecessary as the states had to depend on each other. “We should have the sense of feeling that we are all Indians. In my opinion it is not right to engage in such activities,” the minister said.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of state-wide bandh call given by the pro-Kannada organisations, Tamil Nadu water resources minister Duraimurugan said the state was asking for as it lacked water and not that the upper riparian state did not have.
Krishnarajasagar reservoir in Karnataka has 42% storage as on Friday, against the storage of 97% recorded during the corresponding period last year. Similarly, Kabini has 69% storage (last year 96%), Harangi 80% (last year 90%), and Hemavathi 50% (last year 99%). Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu has only 12% as against the storage of 96% of last year.
“Karnataka refusing to release water despite having adequate storage in its reservoirs was unjust,” the minister said.
He criticised the Karnataka government for not adhering to the principle of natural justice and giving priority to the tail end areas of the riparian states.
“Only if both the states are friendly and affectionate can the people who move from state to state live there without fear. Leaving that aside, it is not fair to say that we will not respect the Supreme Court order, we will not respect the Cauvery water Management Authority and regulation committee’s orders, and the chief minister of Tamil Nadu’s request,” the minister said, pointing to thousands of people from both sides staying in either side besides the movement of vehicles in both ends.
Duraimururgan said those refusing to release water were not ordinary people but seasoned politicians like deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, holding the portfolio of water resources, and chief minister Siddaramaiah.
“I personally have high respect for them. In any case, they are releasing water by obeying the Supreme Court and the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s orders. I extend my gratitude,” the minister said. He justified the protests of farmers in Tamil Nadu claiming their rights in inter-state river water.
The senior DMK leader said the disruption of actor Siddharth’s presser in Bengaluru was unnecessary as the states had to depend on each other. “We should have the sense of feeling that we are all Indians. In my opinion it is not right to engage in such activities,” the minister said.
