Bengaluru, 11 March

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar asserted on Monday there is no question of releasing Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu at any cost now.

Amid criticism and protests against the government over allegations that Cauvery water was being released from Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam to Tamil Nadu, he clarified that the discharge was meant for Bengaluru, and not for the neighbouring state. "There is no question of releasing Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu now at any cost, we have not left (released)....How much water flows to Tamil Nadu, there is an account for it. Even if water is released today it will take four days to reach there," Shivakumar, who is also the water resources minister, told reporters here. "We are not fools in this government to release water (to Tamil Nadu)," added Shivakumar, also the State Congress Chief.

The 'Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti' had staged a protest in the district headquarters town of Mandya on Sunday alleging that water was being released from KRS dam to Tamil Nadu, amid drought and water crisis in many parts of the state. BJP too had attacked the Congress government alleging that it was keen to protect the interest of DMK, the party's alliance partner in Tamil Nadu, at the cost of Karnataka’s farmers and citizens, as it targeted the Siddaramaiah administration for allegedly releasing water from Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu.

Shivakumar clarified that some water was discharged from KRS dam to replenish the Shiva Balancing Reservoir at Malavalli from where it is pumped to Bengaluru. "From where we pump water to Bengaluru, the water level there was less. Water has to be at a certain level for it to be pumped, so as to maintain that level the water was released...for Bengaluru's water, it was done," he said.