Bengaluru

Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday said the state would find it difficult to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu as directed by the CWMA and was discussing its next course of action.

Indicating that the state government may challenge the order in the Supreme Court, he said Karnataka would ensure that no injustice was done to the state.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, which met in New Delhi on Tuesday, directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12.

The CWMA subsequently upheld the decision.

"Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and I have held a detailed discussion on the order. We have spoken to our advocates in Delhi and irrigation experts in the state. Earlier, we were told to release 3,500 cusecs, which was okay, but now we are told to release 12,000 cusecs per day for 15 days. That amounts to 16 TMC, which will be too costly for us. It is not right," Reddy said.

Speaking to reporters here, the State Water Resources Minister said Karnataka would not have faced any difficulty in releasing water if it had been asked to release a smaller quantity, considering the state's water availability.

"This is too high a quantity," he said.

Noting that the monsoon had not been satisfactory in Karnataka's old Mysuru region, the minister claimed that Tamil Nadu had sufficient water in its reservoirs.

He claimed that Tamil Nadu receives most of its rainfall during the northeast monsoon between October and December and has a better water table than Karnataka.

"Our water table is too low here. Even if we go 800-1,000 feet, we don't get water, while they get water at much higher levels. Despite our Additional Chief Secretary, advocates and experts effectively putting forward our case with all these facts, the order has come. It will be difficult for us to release 16 TMC of water in 15 days. We have discussed it. We will decide what to do," he said.

Asked whether the state would challenge the order, Reddy said the matter would be discussed and a decision taken.

"We will have to go to the Supreme Court, that's all," he said.

"The CM has spoken to advocates in Delhi and experts. We will ensure that no injustice happens to the state," he added.

Sporadic protests by farmers have erupted in Cauvery basin districts, including Mandya and Mysuru, against the order to release water.

While some pro-Kannada organisations have called for a Karnataka bandh on Thursday to protest the direction, some other outfits have opposed the bandh call.

Earlier, on July 28, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. The order was subsequently upheld by the CWMA.

READ MORE:Grateful nation honoured Lt Balwan Singh for Tiger Hill operation with MVC

Citing poor storage levels in its reservoirs, Karnataka had initially maintained that it was unable to release water to the neighbouring state. However, following heavy rainfall in Karnataka's Cauvery catchment areas, the state began releasing water under the earlier 3,500-cusec direction.