Cauvery water row: CM Siddaramaiah's letter to the Union Water Power Minister

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written a letter to Union Water Power Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat that Cauvery water cannot be released to Tamil Nadu. The farmers, people, and cattle of the state will suffer and water cannot be supplied to Tamil Nadu.

“We have submitted a proposal to the central government to provide necessary financial assistance and for taking necessary remedial measures to the drought-affected areas in the state.” This was informed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah while speaking to the media at Vidhansouda in Bengaluru today. He said that 195 taluks of the state were declared as drought-affected areas as per SDRF and NDAF regulations.

He said that a lot of surveys had been done before the drought declaration. He clarified that the financial amount has not been estimated so far. He informed, "I have written a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to give time to file a petition on the state's drought management and other issues." But he said that no reply has been received till now. 

The Chief Minister said in the letter that the decision of the Water Control Committee cannot be followed. Karnataka has followed the directive given by the Cauvery Water Control Committee earlier. Now it is not possible to comply, he said in the letter that most of the concessions in the Cauvery basin are suffering from drought due to lack of monsoon rains.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in the letter that considering the water released at present, sufficient water is available to meet the requirements of Tamil Nadu. According to the met department, there are no signs of rain from Sept. 12 to 14. Karnataka has 70 TMC for crop protection, 33 TMC for drinking water and industries, 3 TMC of water is required. Our storage is only 53 tmc, this water is not enough for our needs,' he said in the letter.

Tamil Nadu used 100 TMC of water for 92 days from June to mid-September, which is more than 200 TMC of water used in previous situations in 1987-88, 2002-2003, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-180. In a letter, the Chief Minister brought to the attention of the Minister that Tamil Nadu is growing paddy extensively despite the distressing condition in Karnataka's reservoirs.