Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has convened a "special emergency meeting" scheduled for September 13 in response to the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) recommendation to release 5,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has convened a “special emergency meeting” scheduled for September 13th in response to the recommendation by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) that Karnataka release 5,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.
Key participants in this crucial meeting will include Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, ministers representing the Cauvery basin region, former chief ministers from all political parties, senior ministers from the state cabinet, as well as members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Chief Minister’s office announced the meeting venue as the conference hall at Vidhana Soudha, with the session scheduled to begin at 12:30 PM.
Earlier today, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah conducted an emergency meeting to discuss the appropriate course of action following the CWRC’s recommendation. This meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, senior ministers, and key officials, including the Chief Secretary and Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor Ponnanna.
Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar underscored a critical concern regarding Karnataka’s capacity to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu. He pointed out that the state is grappling with a significant challenge due to a dearth of substantial rainfall in the river basin region. Rainfall is pivotal for replenishing Karnataka’s water reservoirs and sources, which are vital for fulfilling the state’s own water requirements as well as its obligations to share Cauvery river water with neighboring Tamil Nadu.
The insufficient rainfall has led to diminished water levels in Karnataka’s reservoirs, severely hampering its capability to store and supply water to various regions, including Tamil Nadu. Consequently, the state is currently facing substantial difficulties in adhering to the recommendation issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), which calls for the daily release of 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu over a 15-day period.
In response to this predicament, Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar indicated that the matter is expected to be escalated to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). The CWMA serves as a higher governing body tasked with overseeing the implementation of decisions made by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and resolving disputes pertaining to the equitable sharing of Cauvery river waters among the riparian states.
When this issue is presented before the CWMA, Karnataka intends to assert its position vigorously. The state plans to emphasize the significant challenges posed by the insufficient rainfall and its direct impact on Karnataka’s capacity to release water to Tamil Nadu. Essentially, Karnataka is stressing its inability to comply with the recommendation due to environmental and resource limitations, and it is committed to effectively communicating these challenges to the CWMA to facilitate a fair and well-informed resolution of the ongoing Cauvery water dispute.
