Protests drown Cauvery basin

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Protests erupted in Cauvery basin areas of Mysore, Mandya and Chamrajnagar on Sunday after the Karnataka government started releasing 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu since Saturday midnight. Protests started even before sunrise and hundreds of farmers blocked traffic on the busy Mysore-Bengaluru highway at all important intersections throughout the day. No untoward incident was reported and the police kept a tight vigil over protesters.

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, speaking at his home office Krishna in Bengaluru, said the decision to release water was unavoidable and Karnataka could not go against the Supreme Court order asking the state to adhere to the directions of the Cauvery River Authority, headed by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

He appealed to the PM to rush an expert team to the state to assess the situation on the ground. “By complying with the Supreme Court order, we have got an opportunity to go on appeal. The government will file a review petition before the SC in two days and seek a stay on its directives by explaining the drought situation in the state,” he said.

He evaded a direct reply when asked whether the state would continue to release water to Tamil Nadu till Oct. 15, but said the state will hope for a favourable judgment on its review plea. Mr Shettar tried to pacify the protesters by making a personal phone call to Cauvery River Protection Committee chairman G. Madegowda, but received an angry response. Mr Madegowda told Mr Shettar: “I thought you were different from earlier CMs, who released water to Tamil Nadu succumbing to pressure. But you have cheated the people of the state. You told me water will not be released even if the government has to be dissolved or face contempt of court. But you released water in the midnight. People will teach you a lesson in the next assembly elections.” The state had released 10,000 cusecs of water till 5 pm on Sunday.