Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take a firm stand, based on facts, that the state cannot release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, the BJP leader said that the release of water will cause hardship to the people and farmers of Karnataka.
The Tamil Nadu government on Friday asserted that it has no other option but to approach the Supreme Court to get Cauvery water, stating that Karnataka has changed its stand and has come forward to release only a reduced quantum of 8,000 cusecs.
"On June 1, there was a total of 24,352 tmc of water in the four reservoirs of Karnataka (Cauvery basin). Similarly, 69.77 tmc in Mettur reservoir, 16.653 tmc in Bhavani Sagar Reservoir, and 14.054 tmc water has flowed from Biligundlu measuring station on 6-8-2023. So, a total of 83.831 tmc of water has been received in Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu this year," Mr Bommai said.
Noting that according to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), Tamil Nadu is required to grow Kuruvai crop in 1.8 lakh acre and should use 32 tmc water, he said Tamil Nadu, however, as on August 7, has used 60.97 tmc of water for Kuruvai crop, which is double the figure mentioned in the CWDT order.
"Ignoring the scarcity of water in the Cauvery basin, water has been provided to four times the prescribed Kuruvai area (in Tamil Nadu), which is in violation of CWDT order," he said, adding that silence of the state's officials without protesting this in the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has affected Karnataka's interest.
Pointing out that the current water level in the four dams is not sufficient for the drinking water needs of Bengaluru city, other cities and the villages of the Cauvery basin, Basavaraj Bommai said similarly, kharif crops in the Cauvery basin will suffer from shortage of water.
"Thus the release of water causes hardship to the people and farmers of Karnataka," he said, urging the chief minister to take a firm stand that, based on facts, the state cannot release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu which is receiving Southwest and Northeast Monsoon rains.
"I believe that you will protect the interests of the people of the Cauvery basin," he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Musk Trump Interview | Highlights Of Musk-Trump Interview On X
"Will Fight Until Last Breath": BS Yediyurappa's Message To Siddaramaiah "Our Fight Is To Remove This Government, Not Just...": HD Kumaraswamy Governor Will Take Action If Siddaramaiah Doesn't Step Down: BS Yediyurappa Trump, Musk Groove To Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive' In AI-Video Now Viral 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court "Want To Ask Congress...": Mamata Banerjee Snaps At Ally In Rape-Murder Case US Judge Says "Monopolist" Google Can't Avoid App Store Reforms NASA To Decide Stranded Starliner Astronauts' Route Home By End Of Month Mob Vandalises Hospital During Protest Over Kolkata Horror Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.