A day-long shutdown is being observed at Mandya town in Karnataka in protest against the Supreme Court order asking the state to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu.
The district authority was forced to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in the town, about 100km from here, after protesters staged massive rallies and demonstrations, blocking vehicular traffic on the Bengaluru-Mysuru state highway.
Though additional police personnel were deployed in the town and on the highway to maintain law and order and prevent untoward incidents, the state-run Karnataka State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has suspended bus services in the district and across the old Mysuru region.
“We will not allow the state government to release the river water to Tamil Nadu when it is not able to supply it to our fields to grow paddy, wheat, sugarcane and other crops and for drinking in the region,” Made Gowda, leader of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (state farmers’ association) said at Mandya.
After Tamil Nadu’s counsel pleaded for water to save the samba crop in about 40,000 acres of agricultural fields in the Cauvery delta region, the apex court on Monday ordered Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water daily for 10 days on the policy of “live and let live.”
The beleaguered Karnataka government, however, expressed its inability to release more water as the four reservoirs across the river basin are half-empty due to a rainfall deficit during the southwest monsoon in August.
“The state government should immediately file a review petition in the Supreme Court for withdrawal of its order as we don’t have enough water for supplying to our farmers and drinking water to Bengaluru, Mandya and Mysuru,” Gowda said.
“When we are being given only drinking water and not a drop for irrigation, why should farmers in Tamil Nadu be given water to grow their crops? This is patently unjust and the Karnataka government must file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the decision,” said Mandya legislators M H Ambareesh.
Protesters also burned effigies of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and stopped all buses coming from Tamil Nadu.
“We do not want to give even a drop of water to Tamil Nadu. The Karnataka government is to blame as it could not put the case of Karnataka farmers properly in the court,” a protesting farmer said.
In a related development, police have tightened security and stepped up vigil in and around the four reservoirs – Kabini, Krishna Rajendra Sagar (KRS), Hemavathi and Harangi – in the river basin as hundreds of farmers threatened to lay siege if more water was released to the neighbouring state.
“The state government has also banned visitors and tourists from entering the KRS dam and Brindavan Gardens near Mysuru till September 9 to prevent protesters and agitating farmers from staging demonstrations or laying siege at the sluice gates,” a district official said.
T B Jaychandra, Karnataka law minister, appealed to the public not to take law and order in their hands and to maintain peace.
“We know that the Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. We have to obey their orders. My appeal to the public is not to resort to agitation and keep calm. They should co-operate with the state government,” Jaychandra said.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has invited floor leaders of all political parties in the state legislature, central ministers from the state and members of parliament to an all-party meeting to discuss the apex court order and decide on the next course of action.
In Chennai, opposition Dravida Muinnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi asked the Tamil Nadu government to spell out its next course of action.
In a statement issued, the former chief minister wondered whether the Tamil Nadu government would convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issue and also take an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The DMK chief said the release of 15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu over the next 10 days was insufficient for crops in his state.
Pattali Makkal Katchi leader Anbumani Ramadoss condemned the Karnataka government for allegedly not releasing the water despite the Supreme Court order, and said Siddaramaiah was indulging in “delaying tactics.”
Ramadoss said the setting up of the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority was a permanent solution to the problem.
He urged the central and state governments to ensure the safety of Tamilians living in Karnataka.
The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party welcomed the court’s decision and expressed hope that the court will ensure full justice by ensuring adequate water from the Cauvery.
“It is the relentless battle that Jayalalithaa fought through the legal system that has borne fruit today,” said AIADMK spokesperson C R Saraswathi.
She expressed hope that the central government would ensure justice to Tamil Nadu by impressing upon Karnataka to honour the court’s judgment and release water. “Tamil Nadu is hoping for more relief from the Supreme Court,” Saraswathi added.
Protesters burn an effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in Bengaluru yesterday. Protests erupted across the state after the Supreme Court ordered Karnataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
