Cauvery water dispute: Karnataka CM appeals to Tamil Nadu CM to postpone Bengaluru visit

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has appealed to his Tamil Nadu counterpart Joseph Vijay to postpone his visit to Bengaluru, citing the prevailing situation following the Cauvery Water Management Authority's (CWMA) directive on water release. The appeal comes amid widespread protests in parts of Karnataka, including Mandya, where demonstrators tore posters of Vijay's recently released film Jananayagan and forced theatres to halt screenings at some locations.

On Thursday, the CWMA rejected Karnataka's plea against the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) order and directed the state to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days starting July 29. Shivakumar said the state government had initially prepared to host the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for talks, but decided to seek a postponement after consultations with Cabinet colleagues and legal experts to ensure a peaceful atmosphere.

"I feel that the atmosphere is not right at this point of time. I am appealing to him to postpone the visit for some time because we should have a very cordial atmosphere. I want both states to benefit from it," Shivakumar said. He added, "I do not want any hard feelings between the two of us... It all depends upon the rain god."

Chairing a meeting to review the Cauvery water situation, Shivakumar said it was his duty to protect the interests of Karnataka. "As soon as the order came, we appealed against it. Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Parameshwar and I met with MPs and Ministers in Delhi," he said. The Chief Minister noted that Tamil Nadu had requested 9.94 tmcft of water under the distress formula, but the CWRC ordered Karnataka to release half that quantum at 4.5 tmcft. The CWMA upheld the order.

Shivakumar has invited leaders from all parties for a meeting on August 2 to discuss the next course of action. He also highlighted that Karnataka had received good rainfall over the past three years, which helped the state meet its water-sharing obligations. "Last year witnessed exceptionally heavy rains of a historic scale. We performed the Cauvery Puja at the Krishna Raja Sagar dam along with our senior leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. I also participated in the Cauvery Aarti," he said.

The Chief Minister said the good rainfall benefited both people and agriculture, and far more water flowed to Tamil Nadu than required. "Instead of releasing around 177 TMC of water, nearly 400 TMC flowed to Tamil Nadu. We could not hold back that water; it had to be released because of the prevailing circumstances. Tamil Nadu was also satisfied, and a significant quantity of water even flowed into the sea," he explained.

Making a strong pitch for Karnataka's long-pending Mekedatu balancing reservoir project across the Cauvery in Kanakapura, Shivakumar asserted that the project would actually benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka. "In my view, the Mekedatu project will benefit Tamil Nadu even more than Karnataka. The only direct benefit Karnataka will derive is the generation of about 400 MW of hydropower," he said.

The Centre has returned the Detailed Project Report for the proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir-cum-Drinking Water Project, seeking a revised DPR in compliance with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and extant Central Water Commission guidelines. The Chief Minister said the proposed 66 TMC reservoir was only a balancing reservoir and could not be used to expand irrigation in Karnataka. "At no point can the water stored in the 66 TMC balancing reservoir be utilised for any new irrigation project in Karnataka," he added.

The Cauvery water dispute is a long-standing issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with both states asserting their rights over the river's water. The recent directive has intensified tensions, particularly in the Cauvery basin regions of Karnataka. The postponement appeal highlights the sensitivity of the issue and the need for constructive dialogue between the two states.