Amid increased security, water from Krishnarajasagar Dam was released last night (PTI photo)
Highlights
- Karnataka releases Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu from 3 of 4 dams
- Karnataka says 'complying with Supreme Court order despite hardships'
- Protests in Karnataka in Mandya in the Cauvery river basin
Bullock carts and burning tyres were used by protesters to block a major highway in Karnataka hours after the state started releasing water from the river Cauvery to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, abiding by a Supreme Court order despite what it called "severe hardships".
Here are the latest developments:
A large number of protesters at Mandya - the heartland of the Cauvery basin around 100 km from Bengaluru - blocked traffic for the second day against the court's ruling that Karnataka should release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 10 days, nearly twice what it had been sharing.
The protesters also cooked in large pots and played volleyball on the highway. The police have barricaded roads to Mandya, where schools and colleges have been closed till tomorrow. Protests on the highway have affected traffic between two major cities, Bengaluru and Mysuru.
Security has also been raised at dams as protests spread to various parts of the district. A group also stood neck deep in the river.
A large protest has also been organized at state capital Bengaluru and on Friday, political parties have called for a shutdown in Karnataka.
Water has been released from three of the four dams in Karnataka. After an all-party meeting on Tuesday evening, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: "As a state, we cannot defy the Supreme Court's orders. Despite severe hardship, we will release water."
Tamil Nadu had moved court after Karnataka released far less water this year than was decided in 2007 by a court-appointed tribunal.
Tamil Nadu, with much more farmland to irrigate, says its farmers can't sow Samba or second seasonal crop of the year if it is not given more water immediately.
Karnataka has argued that because of less rain this year, it has hardly enough water for irrigation or even drinking. The state had offered 10,000 cusecs a day.
The water of the Cauvery river, which flows through southern Karnataka and then into Tamil Nadu, was originally divided according to nearly century-old agreements.
Though the Cauvery Tribunal had in 2007 solved the water distribution crisis, the 25-year legal battle continues in Supreme Court because of election politics in both states. The fight intensifies when the rainfall is poor and there's not enough water.
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