Protests over Cauvery water issue spreads in Karnataka

BENGALURU: Protests continued in various parts of Karnataka on Friday, after the Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Regulation Committee, directing the state to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

Farmer organisations and pro-Kannada outfits staged protests in the Cauvery river basin districts of Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagara, Ramanagara, Bengaluru and other parts of the state expressing their anger and urging the state government not to release water to the neighbouring state.

Karnataka has been maintaining that it is not in a position to release water, after taking into account its own need for drinking water and irrigation for standing crops in the Cauvery basin areas, as there has been water scarcity due to deficit monsoon rains.

Protests have also spread to districts like Chitradurga, Ballari, Davangere, Koppal and Vijayapura. Sloganeering — demanding justice, blocking roads, burning of tyres and effigies marked the protests in various parts of the state.

Karnataka BJP leaders met under the leadership of former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru to discuss the line of action the party should follow. Party presidents and leaders from Cauvery basin districts were present at the meet.

Stating that it is clear that the government has failed in the Cauvery issue and its consequences are being seen, Bommai said, “I have seen the (court) proceedings and our lawyers have not argued effectively”.

References have not been made by lawyers regarding tribunal orders, importance of Bengaluru’s water requirements, forthcoming monsoon rains in Tamil Nadu, and utilisation of water so far by the neighbouring state, he said.

Amid protests in several parts of the state, including Bengaluru, the city police has tightened security, especially in Tamil dominated areas.

The CWMA on Monday asked Karnataka to continue releasing 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days after the CWRC last week made such a recommendation.