Cauvery issue: Will release 8,000 cusecs water to TN, says CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Jul 14: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the Karnataka government was ready to release 8,000 cusecs of water from the Cauvery river every day to neighbouring Tamil Nadu instead of one TMC as directed by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee till this month-end.
There is only 63 per cent water in the Cauvery basin dams and in this situation, the state was not in a position to release one TMC water each day, the Chief Minister told reporters after an all-party meeting here.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka, JD(S) MLA G T Deve Gowda, farmer leaders and legal experts attended the meeting.
"Everyone was of the opinion that we should release 8,000 cusecs of water and not one TMC, which is 11,500 cusecs of water. If there is no rain then we will minimise the release of water and file an appeal before the Cauvery Water Management Authority," Siddaramaiah said.
ALSO READ: All party meet to discuss Cauvery panel's directive to Karnataka to release water to TN today
According to him, the Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority has directed that starting from July 12 till the month-end, every day one TMC water has to be released.
In a normal year, 9.14 TMC in June and 31.24 TMC in July should be released, he explained.
Advocate Mohan Katarki, who was present in the meeting, said this time Krishnarajasagar dam on Cauvery river has only 54 per cent water whereas other dams in the Cauvery basin have only 63 per cent water, Siddaramaiah said.
On July 12, the inflow of water was 5,000 cusec water in Kabini, which was allowed to flow towards Tamil Nadu, the Chief Minister said, adding that 5,000 cusecs water was flowing in Biligundlu on Saturday.
He explained that on July 12, 20,000 cusecs and 19,000 cusecs on July 13 was released for Tamil Nadu from Kabini dam because water cannot be stored for long due to its holding capacity.
Siddarmaaiah said all the parties in Karnataka were unanimous that they should appeal to the CWMA stating that releasing one TMC water was not possible.
"Katarki said we cannot say we cannot release water because it will be disrespectful to the Cauvery Tribunal. We will release 8,000 cusecs. If there is good rain then it is okay to release one TMC. We are expecting good rains this time," he noted.
The Chief Minister said 2023 was a 'distress year' with scanty rainfall.
"In a normal year, we release 177 TMC but last year we released only 81 TMC water," he added.
ತಮಿಳುನಾಡಿಗೆ ಕಾವೇರಿ ನೀರು ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಮಾಡುವಂತೆ ಕಾವೇರಿ ನೀರು ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ ಸಮಿತಿ ಆದೇಶ ಹೊರಡಿಸಿರುವ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂದು ವಿಧಾನಸೌಧ ಸಭಾಂಗಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @siddaramaiah ಅವರ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸರ್ವಪಕ್ಷಗಳ ಸಭೆ ನಡೆಯಿತು.
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 14, 2024
ಉಪಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳು ಹಾಗೂ ಜಲಸಂಪನ್ಮೂಲ ಸಚಿವರಾದ @DKShivakumar, ವಿಧಾನಸಭೆಯ ವಿರೋಧ ಪಕ್ಷದ ನಾಯಕರಾದ… pic.twitter.com/iuG8zeXGH2
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Modi says 'don't go abroad,' but flies off on trips himself: Mann's jibe at PM
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his appeal to people to postpone foreign travels when he himself did not stop going abroad.
Modi on Sunday in his address to the nation called for judicious use of fuel, postponing gold purchases and foreign travel due to the West Asia crisis. He urged the people to use the metro, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles and working from home to conserve foreign exchange.
Speaking to reporters here, Mann said, "First, the prime minister should stop his foreign visits. Where is he now? He has gone to the Netherlands. He will visit 3-4 more countries. He has asked people to avoid but he still went (on foreign visits). You are shutting down everything... do not buy gold, do not undertake foreign visits, work from home."
He asked, "Why doesn't the PM work from home?"
The Punjab chief minister also took on the BJP-led Centre for increasing prices of petrol and diesel.
"We were to become 'vishwaguru' but we have become 'vishwachele'. The war is happening somewhere else but restrictions are being imposed here. Why has no other country implemented it (restrictions)?" he asked.
Mann said people across the country are struggling with inflation, rising transport costs and increasing household expenditure, but instead of providing relief, the Centre is asking citizens to reduce personal spending.
"Thankfully, the PM only advised people to save money and didn't ask them to beat 'thalis' and clap again," he said in a dig.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader asserted that instead of symbolic gestures and lectures, people expect practical steps to control inflation and reduce the financial burden on households, farmers and small businesses.
Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by Rs 3 per litre each on Friday, the first rate increase in more than four years, amid mounting losses to fuel retailers due to surging global crude prices.
Modi has reduced the size of his convoy, prompting several BJP chief ministers and other leaders to adopt similar measures.
The prime minister is on a six-day tour of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy to discuss bilateral ties.
Meanwhile, on the Bhakra water-sharing issue, Mann asserted that Punjab will preserve its water rights at every cost. He said Haryana would receive water strictly according to its legally scheduled quota and not before the stipulated timeline.
"Punjab will not compromise on its water rights under any pressure," he said. The chief minister said water is an emotional, economic and agricultural lifeline for Punjab and his government is fully committed to protecting every drop.
Punjab has no spare water to share with any other state, he said.
To a question on the upcoming local body polls, Mann said his party will be victorious.
Mann praised his government's work on the job and infrastructure front, and attacked Shiromani Akali Dal, claiming that the party steadily lost both public support and credibility due to years of political decline and disconnect from people's aspirations.
Akalis no longer command the trust they once enjoyed among Punjabis, he said.
