Cauvery water release: Karnataka govt says no to TN, Oppn supports

Karnataka on Saturday maintained that it was not possible for it to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu given the "severe distress" faced by it as an all-party meeting decided that the Supreme Court be apprised of the "ground reality".

"Tamil Nadu has sought release of 50 TMC ft of water. Can it be given? No. From where can we give it. No," said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after consulting leaders of Opposition parties who endorsed the government's stand. Siddaramaiah said the Tamil Nadu government had approached the apex court pleading it to direct Karnataka to release 50 TMC ft as per the normal (water) year but "today, there is no normal year in Karnataka".

"We are facing a severe distress year. Both the states should share the distress pro rata. That is the principle we have followed so far and the court has also given a direction like this based on the ground reality," he said.

Siddaramaiah said the "ground reality" now was that the reservoirs in the Cauvery basin –Kabini, Hemavathy, Harangi and KRS –had a combined storage of 51 TMC ft and at least 40 TMC ft of that was required to meet drinking water needs of Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and other cities, as also villages and the remaining quantum for standing crops.