Karnataka CM Convenes All-Party Meeting on Cauvery Water Crisis

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will hold an all-party meeting to discuss the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's directive to release water to Tamil Nadu. Despite a deficit in rains, the CWRC instructed Karnataka to release one tmcft daily. Officials suggest appealing the decision to the CWMA.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called for an all-party meeting on Sunday to address the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) directive to release one tmcft of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu daily until the end of the month.

Following discussions with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who also serves as the Water Resources Minister, as well as Ministers from the Cauvery river basin area and officials, the Chief Minister announced that today's meeting would determine the state's next steps.

'Despite forecasts for normal rainfall, we are currently facing a 28 percent deficit in water inflow. We communicated this during our presentation to the CWRC and requested them to delay any decisions until the end of July. However, the CWRC has still instructed us to release one tmcft of water daily starting from July 12,' stated Siddaramaiah.

Friday's meeting concluded that the state government should file an appeal against the CWRC's directive before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

Union Ministers, Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha from the state, and MLAs from the Cauvery river basin region have been invited to attend the meeting. The government will make its final decision after taking into account everyone's opinions, the Chief Minister confirmed.

According to Siddaramaiah, 5000 cusecs of water, equivalent to the Kabini dam inflow, is currently being released to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu.