Karnataka state will challenge and present its case before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Supreme Court of releasing 3k cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily, according to the directive issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC). Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had spoken to the state’s legal team and the latter was of the view that CWRC’s directive should be challenged in the apex court. He said, “We don’t have enough water in our reservoirs to release to Tamil Nadu. Hence, we will challenge the order of the regulation committee before the Supreme Court.”
Commenting on the Karnataka Bandh called on September 29th, CM said that in a democratic society, anyone can stage a protest or call for a bandh. But the Supreme Court has told not to hold a bandh that may cause inconvenience to the general public. Here, senior leaders of BJP-JD(S) viz., Former CM HD Kumaraswamy, BS Yediyurappa, and DV Sadananda Gowda with other leaders protested on Wednesday and claimed that the state government's failure in handling the Cauvery water issue. Deputy CM DK Shiv Kumar told the media that there is no question of releasing water from Karnataka Reservoir Dam. The government will protect the farmers’ interest at any cost. It is pertinent to mention that the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee has said that the state has to release 12.165 tmcft of backlog water to Tamil Nadu (which is a bigger challenge for the state) if the water situation improves in the Cauvery basin area. Karnataka reservoirs are already facing a 53.04% shortfall in inflow.