Mysuru, 1 Aug

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday appealed to organisations opposing the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu to withdraw their proposed agitation, saying water cannot be retained once the Kabini reservoir reaches full capacity and warned protesters not to endanger their lives.

The chief minister, who was speaking to reporters at Mysuru airport amid protests over the Cauvery Water Management Authority's direction to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, also accused the BJP of "politicising" the issue. He asserted that Karnataka would protect farmers' interests while abiding by court orders, and said the state had secured a "major victory" in the Supreme Court on the Mekedatu project.

"Kabini reservoir is filling up. Once a dam is full, water has to be released. It is impossible to hold it back. I humbly appeal to those planning to agitate against the release of water to withdraw their decision," he said.

Noting that officials were providing hourly updates on the reservoir, Shivakumar said the inflow into Kabini had touched 40,000 cusecs and nature could not be controlled by human decisions.

"Even if we decide not to release water, once the reservoir is full, it is impossible to hold it back. Protesters should not go near the points where water is being released. The force of the water can sweep you away. No one should lie down in the path of flowing water," he said.

Appealing against a bandh or protests, the CM said democratic protests were respected but should not disrupt public life or the legal framework, adding that people of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were citizens of the same country.

Shivakumar said successive governments led by former chief ministers S Bangarappa, SM Krishna, HD Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah had taken decisions based on prevailing circumstances during similar crises.

"There is an order to release 177 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu, and the Supreme Court has upheld it. We must respect the court's order while also protecting the interests of our farmers. Our government is committed to safeguarding the welfare of Karnataka's farmers," he said.

He said the Cauvery Water Management Authority had access to reservoir-level data across the basin but had rejected Karnataka's submission that it had released less than half the quantity discharged during comparable situations in the past.

Accusing the BJP of "politicising" the issue, Shivakumar said he had also noted the statements made by Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and alleged that political leaders in Tamil Nadu were fighting for their political survival. On the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, he said Karnataka had secured a major victory in the Supreme Court and that Parliament had also received a clear legal explanation on the state's right to construct a dam at the proposed site.

Shivakumar also described as a 'historic decision' the agreement reached by the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, under the leadership of Union Water Resource Minister CR Patil, to construct a balancing reservoir on the Tungabhadra and constitute a committee for the project.

Referring to the proposed visit of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Vijay Joseph to Karnataka, Shivakumar said the prevailing situation was not conducive and any talks should be held only in a peaceful atmosphere.

"If the issue can be resolved through dialogue, let it be resolved that way. Let them receive what is rightfully theirs; we will never stand in the way. Likewise, we should secure the rights granted to us by the court," he said, adding that a fresh date for Vijay's visit would be fixed once the situation normalised.

On whether Karnataka would continue releasing water, Shivakumar said an all-party meeting would hear the views of former chief ministers, political leaders and legal experts before taking a decision. He also said Tamil Nadu had sought 9,000 cusecs, but the Authority had directed Karnataka to release only 3,500 cusecs.