Farmers oppose CWRC’s direction of release of water to Tamil Nadu
Farmers' organizations in Karnataka are protesting a directive to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, citing severe water shortages in local reservoirs. They argue that drinking water needs for cities like Bengaluru must take precedence over irrigation requirements.
Why it matters
Water sharing disputes between states remain a critical socio-political issue in India, impacting both agricultural stability and urban water security.
Opposing the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) direction to release 3,500 cusecs of the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu daily for 15 days, president of Federation of Karnataka Farmers’ Organisations Kurubur Shanthakumar has urged the State government to persuade the Cauvery Management Authority (CWMA) for a reconsideration of the order based on “distress formula”.
In a statement here on Tuesday, Mr. Shanthakumar said it is neither feasible for the Karnataka government nor for the farmers of the Cauvery basin to implement the CWRC’s order in the present circumstances.
The major reservoirs in the Cauvery basin — Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS), Kabini, Harangi, and Hemavati — currently hold only enough water to meet the State’s drinking water requirements and to protect standing crops.
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