Mysuru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar appealed to the public to avoid protests over Cauvery water releases, saying the state cannot hold back inflows indefinitely and that storing more water in reservoirs could put people at risk.
Speaking to reporters at Mysuru airport, he said officials were updating him hourly on the Kabini reservoir. According to him, inflow had reached 40,000 cusecs, and 10,000 cusecs was being released from Kabini, arguing that the situation did not warrant agitation.
His remarks come as several organisations in Karnataka have called for a bandh on August 13 following directions from the Cauvery Water Management Authority to release water to Tamil Nadu. Shivakumar said protests should not disrupt law and order or affect normal life, adding that people across states are citizens of the same country.
He noted that the Supreme Court has ordered an annual release of 177.25 TMC to Tamil Nadu and said the order must be respected while also safeguarding Karnataka farmers’ interests. He also said an all-party meeting would be held to hear views of former chief ministers, leaders and legal experts, and pointed out that while Tamil Nadu had sought 9,000 cusecs, the direction was to release 3,500 cusecs.
On a proposed visit by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on August 3, Shivakumar said talks should happen only in a calm and conducive atmosphere, and that the date would be decided after assessing the situation.
