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Cauvery Dispute
Normal life is likely to be affected, especially in the southern part of the state, with pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations calling for Karnataka Bandh' on Friday to protest the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Kannada Okkuta', an umbrella organisation for Kannada outfits including factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Kannada Chalavali (Vatal Paksha) and various farmers' bodies have given a call for the statewide dawn-to-dusk shutdown. There will be a massive protest procession from Town Hall to Freedom Park in the city, in which people from all walks of life are likely to participate, the organisers said. They have said that the bandh is for the entire Karnataka and that they will try to shut highways, toll gates, rail services, and also airports. The opposition BJP and JD(S) too have extended their support to the bandh, as also hotels, autorickshaws and hail riders associations in Karnataka. "Autorickshaw Drivers' Union and Ola Uber Drivers and Owners' Association .
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said the Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery river near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district is the only solution to the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Speaking to reporters here, he said the problem arose because the Mekedatu reservoir was not built. "The Mekedatu project is the only solution to the problem of Cauvery water sharing between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. We have informed the Supreme Court about this," the Water Resources Minister said. The Cauvery Management Authority has been constituted by the court itself, which is a technical committee. Now they have to focus on the technical aspects, the DCM said. Making a pitch for the Mekedatu reservoir, he said had it been built, this problem would not have arisen today. Last year, more than 400 TMC water flowed into the sea and was "wasted". If only a small amount of water had been held at Mekedatu reservoir, this .
Karnataka has not released Tamil Nadu's due share of Cauvery water and the standing Kuruvai crop can be saved only if the former lets out water immediately, the state government apprised the Centre on Thursday and sought its immediate intervention on the matter. Writing to Union Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Chief Minister M K Stalin said the short-term Kuruvai is a crucial crop for the farmers of Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta region. He said the quantum of water received at Billigundulu on the inter-state border, from June 1 to July 17 was 3.78 tmc (thousand million cubic feet) only, as against the prescribed level of 26.32 tmc for this period. This leaves a huge shortfall of 22.54 tmc and even this meager flow of 3.78 tmc realised at Billigundulu was from the 'uncontrolled intermediate catchment areas' below the KRS and Kabini reservoirs up to Billigundulu. To facilitate the cultivation of Kuruvai crop on time, the Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu was opened this yea