Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday said the state government has not yet released Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and asserted that any decision on the issue would be taken only after consultations with legal experts and opposition leaders.
Responding to criticism from BJP leaders over the Cauvery water dispute, Shivakumar said the Opposition had levelled allegations even before any water was released. “The BJP has been making allegations, but we have not yet released water. They themselves had suggested convening an all-party meeting,” he told reporters after launching the “Freedom from Waste” campaign in Bengaluru.
The Chief Minister said one of Karnataka’s reservoirs in the Cauvery catchment area is likely to reach full capacity by this evening (Aug 1), making it difficult to retain additional inflows.
“Once the reservoir is full, it is not possible to hold back any more water. At the same time, Tamil Nadu is preparing to approach the Supreme Court. The current inflow is around 36,000 to 39,000 cusecs, while Karnataka has been directed to release only 3,500 cusecs. We will take an appropriate decision after consulting legal experts and the opposition,” he said.
The Congress government has convened an all-party meeting in Bengaluru on Sunday to decide on releasing water to Tamil Nadu.
Shivakumar also condemned the recent attack on civic officials during an anti-encroachment drive in Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar, describing it as an attack on the government rather than merely on public servants.
“If anyone thinks it was only an attack on officials, they are mistaken. It was an attack on the government, its ministers and legislators. We are implementing this programme with the support of elected representatives across party lines,” he said.
He reiterated that the government would continue its anti-encroachment drive while ensuring alternative arrangements for street vendors. “Street vendors will be provided alternative locations wherever possible. However, encroachments on footpaths and roads that obstruct pedestrians and vehicular traffic will not be permitted,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said the cleanliness campaign launched in Bengaluru should serve as a model for the entire state and urged legislators across Karnataka to implement similar initiatives in their respective constituencies.
He stressed that sustained public participation and civic responsibility would be crucial to keeping cities clean and free from illegal waste dumping.
(IANS)
