Water to TN: Under fire, Karnataka govt convenes all-party meet on Aug 23

Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who is also the water resources minister, maintained that the government would honour court verdicts, both past and present.

Deputy Chief Minister, D K Shivakumar said on Sunday that an all-party meeting would be convened on Wednesday (August 23) to discuss issues concerning the water levels in the reservoirs, in view of the rain deficit in the state. 

Shivakumar told reporters here that the government had invited members of parliament along with leaders of all parties for the meeting. 

“We will be discussing water storage levels, rain scenarios and the various river disputes in detail at the meeting,” he said. He said that the state was staring at a drought-like situation, with deficit rainfall this year. 

“We are filing an appeal on Monday in the apex court, while we have already appealed to the Cauvery water management authority to reconsider its direction for release of water to Tamil Nadu,” he said and added that the government had given complete freedom to the advocate general to present the state’s case in the Supreme Court. 

Shivakumar, who is also the water resources minister, maintained that the government would honour court verdicts, both past and present.

“Protecting farmers’ interests is always paramount. At the same time, we, as government, have to comply with court orders,” he said, virtually justifying the release of 10,000 cusec of water daily for 15 days from August 15 to Tamil Nadu.

He said the government was aware that ‘friends’ in BJP and JD(S) were trying to politicise the Cauvery issue, but they seemed to have forgotten what happened during their tenures.

Slamming the decision to convene an all-party meeting, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said: “What is the use of locking the stables after the horses have bolted?”

“The water level in KRS dam has fallen from 112 feet to 107 feet. What will the government do if the state fails to receive rains? What is the use of convening all-party meeting now,” he asked.

He said the water scarcity would affect the drinking water needs of Bengaluru.

“Prior to elections, their (Congress’) slogan was ‘Our water, our right’. Now, the slogan has changed to ‘Our water, Tamil Nadu’s right’”.