Calls have been made to immediately stop releasing water to Tamil Nadu in the ongoing Cauvery water dispute. The Janata Dal (Secular) – JDS, led by former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, held a protest in Mandya demanding the halt of water release. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Tamil Nadu’s plea on September 6 regarding water release directives to Karnataka.
Since August 29, the Karnataka government has been following the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) by releasing water to Tamil Nadu. However, local farmers’ associations have been protesting near the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam, calling for the stoppage of water release.
Thousands of JD(S) workers gathered at Silver Jubilee Park in Mandya and marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office to protest against the Karnataka government’s actions. Former MLAs Suresh Gowda and K Annadani led the demonstrators, demanding an immediate halt to the water release.
Despite recovering from a mild stroke in the hospital, Kumaraswamy’s call to action deeply resonated with JDS leaders, leading them to support his cause by taking to the streets.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar recently traveled to Delhi to consult legal experts regarding the ongoing Supreme Court case. The court has granted Tamil Nadu’s request for a release of 24,000 cusecs of water from Karnataka’s reservoirs. The case will be heard on September 6, where arguments from both sides will be examined thoroughly.
In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, the CWMA revealed that Karnataka had discharged 1,49,898 cusecs of water at Biligundulu between August 12 and 26. This sheds further light on the complexities of this long-standing water dispute between the two southern states.
