Karnataka Farmers Urge State to Challenge Cauvery Water Release Order, Citing Drinking Water Crisis

The Federation of Karnataka Farmers' Organisations has called on the state government to seek a reconsideration of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) directive to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. Federation president Kurubur Shanthakumar argued that the order is not feasible under current conditions, urging the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to review it based on the 'distress formula'.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Shanthakumar highlighted that major reservoirs in the Cauvery basin—Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS), Kabini, Harangi, and Hemavati—hold only enough water to meet the state's drinking water needs and protect standing crops. He emphasised that ensuring drinking water supply to cities such as Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Mandya, along with villages dependent on the Cauvery, is the state's foremost responsibility.

The catchment areas have received only about 50% of the expected rainfall, significantly reducing inflows into reservoirs. While Karnataka has consistently respected Supreme Court and CWMA orders, Mr. Shanthakumar stated that releasing water at the expense of the state's drinking water and farmers' interests is not possible.

Meanwhile, activists from Kannada organisations and farmers' groups staged a protest at Sanjay Circle in Mandya on Tuesday, blocking the old Bengaluru-Mysuru highway for a time. The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has condemned the CWRC direction as 'unscientific' and plans to protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi's bust outside the law court complex in Mysuru on Wednesday.

KRRS leader Badagalapura Nagendra appealed to the state government to challenge the order, noting that except for the Harangi reservoir, all dams in the Cauvery basin lack sufficient water even for drinking purposes.