Bengaluru, July 31 (IANS) The Karnataka government on Friday said it would take a final decision on the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu only after convening an all-party meeting on August 2, with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar asserting that safeguarding the state’s interests remains the government’s foremost priority.

Addressing a joint press conference at Vidhana Soudha along with Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy, CM Shivakumar said all former chief ministers, Members of Parliament, ministers, legal experts, and senior bureaucrats have been invited for Sunday’s meeting to deliberate on the Cauvery issue.

“The all-party meeting will be briefed on the legal, hydrological, and administrative aspects of the matter. Thereafter, a decision will be taken on the future course of action,” CM Shivakumar said.

Until July this year, Karnataka had released only 0.6 TMC of water, the lowest release recorded in the last 100 years. There is only a regular flow of water, and no additional release has been made, CM Shivakumar stressed.

The statement comes a day after the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) direction asking Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

CM Shivakumar said the state had strongly opposed the directive and had filed an appeal before the CWMA seeking a reduction in the quantum of water to be released and a deferment of the dates.

“Our officers, including the Managing Director and two advisors, presented Karnataka’s case before the CWRC. Even the advisor appointed during the tenure of former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai participated in the proceedings. Tamil Nadu insisted on the release of water, while our team argued effectively in favour of the state’s interests,” CM Shivakumar said.

The Chief Minister maintained that Karnataka’s reservoir levels and inflows were matters of public record and could not be manipulated.

He said Harangi reservoir was at 90 per cent capacity, Kabini at 83 per cent, Hemavathi at 67 per cent, and Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir at only 36 per cent.

“At present, we are receiving an inflow of nearly 26,000 cusecs, or approximately 2 TMC of water. Of this, 3,500 cusecs have been ordered to be released. We have placed all facts on record before the authorities,” he said.

CM Shivakumar noted that in years of abundant rainfall, Karnataka had released substantially more water than mandated.

“Last year, against the stipulated 177 TMC, Karnataka released over 400 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu. Much of that water eventually flowed into the sea. Tamil Nadu was also satisfied with the release, and all these details are available on record,” he said.

Reiterating his government’s commitment to farmers, CM Shivakumar said Congress governments, beginning with the tenure of former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa, had consistently protected Karnataka’s interests in the Cauvery dispute.

He also welcomed the cooperation extended by BJP MPs and Union Ministers, including Pralhad Joshi, V. Somanna, and Shobha Karandlaje, in presenting Karnataka’s case before the Centre and the CWMA.

Shivakumar reiterated, “After the all-party meeting, we will decide on the future course of action regarding release of water. We want discussions between the two states to take place in a cordial atmosphere.”

“We requested that the quantum of water to be released be reduced and that the dates for release be deferred. However, Tamil Nadu argued that Karnataka was receiving sufficient inflows and insisted on the release of water. Our team presented the state’s case effectively. Reservoir inflows are a matter of record and cannot be concealed,” CM Shivakumar said.

“The inflow situation is improving. Tamil Nadu had sought the release of 9.94 TMC of water, but the authorities have directed the release of only about half that quantity. Following yesterday’s order, we have convened an all-party meeting. All former Chief Ministers, Members of Parliament, and ministers have been invited to attend the meeting on Sunday, August 2,” CM Shivakumar underlined.

“I, along with Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara, Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy, legal experts, and senior bureaucrats, will brief the all-party meeting on all aspects of the issue. Thereafter, the matter will be deliberated upon and an appropriate decision will be taken,” he underlined.

On Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s proposed visit to Bengaluru on August 3, CM Shivakumar said he had requested him to postpone the trip in view of the prevailing tensions over the Cauvery issue.

The CM stated: “Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has shared all details regarding his proposed visit on August 3 and has spoken to me personally. His responsibility is to protect the interests of his state, while ours is to safeguard Karnataka’s interests. We are both approaching this issue with that understanding and are hopeful that it can be resolved amicably. For me, farmers across the country are one.”

“Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the senior-most Chief Minister in the country, recently participated in a meeting on river water management in Karnataka. Discussions were held on the Tungabhadra river, including issues related to the wastage of nearly 30 TMC of water, desiltation efforts, and the formation of a committee with the participation of the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments. Various options, including balancing reservoirs and the proposed Godavari-Cauvery-Krishna river-linking project, were also discussed. I congratulate Union Minister C.R. Patil for facilitating these initiatives,” he stated stressing on inter-state deliberations.

“On the Cauvery issue, the BJP, Kannada organisations, and farmer groups are staging protests. However, the fact remains that Congress governments have consistently protected the interests of Karnataka. We have never neglected our farmers, and it remains our commitment to stand by them,” CM Shivakumar stated.

–IANS

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