Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said, the state is not in a position to release water to the neighbouring Tamil Nadu as the water levels in all four reservoirs — Kabini, Harangi, Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) and Hemavathi, is low.
Addressing reporters at Mysore Airport in Mandakalli, the CM said, TN is asking for 50 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water for irrigation. “But, at present, the reservoirs have a storage of only 50 tmcft and of that, 40 tmcft water is required to meet drinking water needs in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mandya districts and hence it is not possible to release water to TN. The situation will be brought to the notice of the Supreme Court,” he said.
The reservoirs have the capacity to store 114 tmcft water, but due to silt, they can store only 104 tmcft.
When the inflow increases, outflow will also increase. The officials will decide over the release of water, he said.
Stirs politically motivated
When asked about Amnesty International India (AII) row, the CM said, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are instigating Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists to stage protest and the agitations are politically motivated. It may be mentioned that ABVP activists are staging a series of protests against the members of AII over anti-national sloganeering during an event in Bengaluru recently.
Son accompanies CM
For the first time, after Siddaramaiah became Chief Minister, his younger son Dr Yatindra is seen with his father in public. Dr Yatindra arrived with Siddaramaiah at the airport. Earlier, the CM’s elder son Rakesh, who passed away in Brussels in late July used to be with the CM during the latter’s visit to Mysuru.
Speaking to media, Dr Yatindra said, “I will work in my father’s Assembly constituency in the interest of the people. I will visit the constituency three days in a week to resolve the issues bothering the people. I have not yet thought of entering politics.”
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