K’taka govt should’t release Cauvery water to TN at any cost: Former CM Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru, Sep 13 (IANS) Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday urged the Congress government not to release Cauvery water  to Tamil Nadu at any cost.

He termed the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC)’s directive to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu “shocking” and asserted that under no circumstances should the state government abide by it.

“What are CWRC and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) doing? Don’t they have information on Tamil Nadu extending the irrigated land violating the tribunal’s order? Don’t they have the duty of ascertaining the existing real situation in the states?  Kumaraswamy wondered.

“Had the state government been concerned about the farmers and providing drinking water to Bengaluru, it would not have released water. The silence of the Bengaluru people has surprised me. Those who have settled down in the city should also raise their voice in the Cauvery issue for the state. It seems no one is bothered about the Cauvery dispute,” he said.

Kumaraswamy further stated that there is no distress formula and only Karnataka state is under distress. There is no distress at all in Tamil Nadu. Karnataka is there only to carry out the orders, while Tamil Nadu always enjoys the fruit.

“This is our situation. Going by the report of the committee, it is evident that the issue of volume of cultivation undertaken in Tamil Nadu is not
discussed at all,” he said.

“The Karnataka government has not taken the meetings of water bodies seriously. While our officers attend the meetings online, the representatives of the neighbouring states are present and argue effectively. How is it possible to protect the interests of the state under such circumstances? The
commitment of Tamil Nadu is not shown by the state towards the language, land and water. This is a tragedy,” the former chief minister stated.

“Our leaders are extremely negligent. Why is it not possible to argue against Tamil Nadu, which has violated the Tribunal order? The fact of illegal
extension of cultivated land should have been highlighted and demand for distress formula should have been placed,” Kumaraswamy explained.

The government has agreed to release water even as there is no water for our farmers. The state government has failed completely in this regard. It
has misused the patience of the farmers. It should have waited till the Supreme Court passed its order. The release of water following the orders
of water management bodies was wrong, he opined.

The government had erred in every step. As soon as Tamil Nadu filed objections, the state should also have done so. They should have also provided documents on the existing situation and argued efficiently.

That precious time was wasted and now the crocodile tears are being shed, do you want people to believe you? Kumaraswamy slammed the state government