Karnataka Faces Shutdown As Kaveri Water Diverted to Tamil Nadu

Hundreds of protestors staged massive demonstrations, blocking vehicular traffic on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.

People stage a demonstration against releasing of Kaveri river water to Tamil Nadu on the Supreme Court’s directive to the Karnataka government in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (Photo: IANS)

The Karnataka government on Wednesday began to release 15,000 cusecs of Kaveri water to Tamil Nadu daily for 10 days from Wednesday as directed by the Supreme Court.

Reiterating that the state was bound to abide by the apex court order under the Constitution, the chief minister said the state had accepted to release water with a heavy heart despite being in a distress situation.

This is not a normal year but a distress year due to deficit rains during the monsoon season. As a result, there is not sufficient water in the reservoirs across the Kaveri basin to release or share it with Tamil Nadu as per the tribunal award

Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister, Karnataka

At the same time, the chief minister assured the people in the Mysuru region that the state would continue to supply the river water for drinking and irrigation.

Meanwhile, a day-long shutdown was observed in Mandya district to protest against the top court’s order to release the water to Tamil Nadu.

Besides disrupting normal life in the district, about 100km from Bengaluru, the shut down led to closure of schools, colleges, offices shops, hotels, theatres and petrol bunks.

(Inputs: IANS)

Video Editor: G Sagar Arjun