Protests against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu continued in various parts of the Cauvery basin in Karnataka on Friday with farmers staging a demonstration by wading into the waters at Triveni Sangama in T. Narsipur near Mysuru.
The farmers representing Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) shouted slogans against the Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during the protest.
The protesting farmers alleged that no government had managed to protect the interests of Karnataka while expressing dissatisfaction over the failure of the opposition parties also to raise their voices against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
They urged the State Government to stop the release of water to Tamil Nadu forthwith, failing which a State-wide agitation will be taken up.
Meanwhile, members of Karnataka Sena Pade gathered in front of Zilla Panchayat office in Mysuru on Friday and condemned the State Government’s decision to release water to Tamil Nadu.
The protestors regretted that the State Government was releasing water to Tamil Nadu despite the State passing through a water crisis in view of the poor monsoon that has left the water bodies dry.
The protestors also alleged that the Congress Government had failed to stick to its pre-poll promise of protecting the interests of farmers by releasing water to Tamil Nadu.
It may be mentioned here that several farmers under the leadership of Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah tried to lay siege to KRS reservoir in Mandya on Thursday to protest against the release of water to Tamil Nadu.
The farmers urged the State Government to convince the Supreme Court on the plight of farmers in Karnataka in the wake of poor rainfall.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvayaswamy said the State government had argued Karnataka’s case before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) well and was successful in protecting Karnataka’s interests.
“Our Government is committed to protecting the farmers’ interests”, he said while adding that the State Government was releasing water to irrigation canals in Karnataka also to facilitate the farmers. However, the water availability in the reservoirs is limited due to poor rainfall.
In view of the Centre’s direction, water was being released from different dams in the region into the river to abide by the direction.
