Drinking water is priority, don’t politicise Cauvery issue: K’taka former minister Cheluvarayaswamy to Oppn
Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Minister for Agriculture, N. Cheluvarayaswamy, on Thursday urged Opposition parties not to politicise the Cauvery water dispute, asserting that safeguarding drinking water for the people of the state must remain the government’s top priority.
Addressing an emergency press conference in Bengaluru following the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) direction to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu, Cheluvarayaswamy said Karnataka was facing a difficult situation due to deficient rainfall in the Cauvery catchment area.
“The Cauvery basin has not received the expected rainfall this month, and forecasts indicate that there is little likelihood of heavy rain in the coming days. Several districts, including Bengaluru, are facing concerns over drinking water availability. Protecting drinking water is our foremost priority,” he said.
Cheluvarayaswamy stated that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had already placed all relevant facts, including reservoir storage levels and rainfall data, before the Cauvery authorities. He added that discussions had also been held with Members of Parliament and Union Ministers and expressed confidence that Karnataka would receive a fair hearing during the proceedings.
Responding to allegations by some farmers that water was being released to Tamil Nadu overnight, the former minister dismissed the claims as misinformation.
“Some people are misleading farmers. If we had already released water, there would have been no need for us to approach the authorities and fight the case. The government has maintained a firm stand that it is not in a position to release water,” he said.
He noted that drought-like conditions emerge once every two to three years and recalled that similar situations had arisen during the tenures of former Chief Ministers H.D. Deve Gowda, S.M. Krishna, B.S. Yediyurappa, and Siddaramaiah.
“At present, preserving drinking water is more important than releasing water for crops,” he added.
Criticising the Opposition’s protests over the issue, Cheluvarayaswamy urged political parties to support the government instead of seeking political mileage.
“At this sensitive juncture, Opposition parties should refrain from unnecessary politics. Rather than trying to derive political benefit from the situation, they should cooperate with the government in finding a solution. In fact, the Union government should take the lead and play a mediating role in this dispute,” he said.
He expressed confidence that Opposition leaders would offer constructive suggestions during the proposed all-party meeting on the Cauvery issue. He also said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had agreed to hold discussions and was expected to visit Vidhana Soudha on August 3.
Appealing for calm, Cheluvarayaswamy urged Kannada organisations and the public to remain patient and cooperate with the government as it navigates the ongoing dispute.
MLAs Uday K.M. and Ravi Ganiga, along with MLC Dinesh Gooligowda, were present at the press conference.