Karnataka bandh: Vatal Nagaraj weighs in

Vatal Nagaraj, former MLA and head of Kannada Chaluvaliga, is not supporting the Sept 25 bandh called by political parties in Karnataka on Cauvery but speaks for some in the state when he says Karnataka has exclusive rights over Cauvery. He told inmathi.com: “I stand by my statement that the Cauvery River belongs to Karnataka as it takes birth on the Western Ghats part of Karnataka and flows to a great distance within the political and geographical area under Karnataka. I am against the government’s stand on approaching the Tamil Nadu government for rapprochement on the issue. Cauvery River cannot be handed over to Tamil Nadu on a platter. Kannada Chaluvaligars will fight tooth and nail to save the Cauvery River from becoming a property of Tamil Nadu.”

He continued: “Cauvery is a part of Kannada culture. Kannadigas are emotionally attached to the river. It is our lifeline in South Karnataka. Kannadigas will not tolerate political parties using Cauvery River for furthering their political ambitions. Both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka politicians are working hand in glove to eke out a political career every year. This should stop and Kannadigas will sooner or later hit back politically and decisively against the government.”

Thanks to the micromanagement of Cauvery River water sharing by politicians, three cities will be shut down on Tuesday (26 September) and again on Friday (29 September) when Vatal Nagaraj will be protesting. The bandh has turned out to be a show of strength between the BJP-JDS alliance versus the I.N.D.I.A alliance which has Congress (ruling in Karnataka) and DMK (ruling in Tamil Nadu).

The Karnataka state government is trying to drag the central government into the Cauvery water-sharing issue. But the JDS-BJP alliance has been saying that there is no need for central intervention. Instead, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin must write to his counterpart in Karnataka, S Siddaramiah, and sort out the matter in this regard.

Due to the Karnataka government not releasing water in the Cauvery basin at the right time, crops have been affected. The state is offering Rs 25,000 per acre as compensation to the farmers. The BJP has demanded more compensation. It has decided to conduct a yatra that will include marches and protests.

The Karnataka cabinet, following consultations with legal experts, has unanimously decided to honour the Supreme Court’s directive to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu. In his observation, Karnataka’s Advocate General, K Shashi Kiran Shetty, observed that the Karnataka government had done the right thing by adhering to the Supreme Court ruling.

The cabinet resolution ensures the release of water to Tamil Nadu until September 26th, in line with the Court’s instructions at 5000 cusecs per day. This was also the version of the Cauvery Water Management Authority, emphasizing Karnataka’s obligation to release water to Tamil Nadu.

Also Read: Mekedaatu dam will not hurt TN’s interests, insists DKS

Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister, D K Shivakumar, has also reaffirmed the state’s commitment to prioritise the provision of drinking water. “Our legal experts have clarified all aspects of the matter. We currently have an inflow of 7,000 cusecs, with 3,000 cusecs already being released. We will fully comply with the Supreme Court’s decision,” he said in a statement on Sept 25. Shivakumar also scaled up the present standoff between the two states to push the issue of the Mekedatu reservoir, which is his pet project.

“Through the Mekedatu project, we are poised to gain access to 177 TMC of water. We will diligently submit the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and actively pursue the necessary environmental clearances, complete with an advisory to M K Stalin,” he said.

Numerous organisations have called for a bandh in Mandya, vehemently urging the state government not to release water to Tamil Nadu. In Bengaluru, several pro-Kannada groups have initiated a series of protests against the state government’s decision, prompting increased security measures in both Mandya and the state capital.

As per the latest update from the agriculture department of Tamil Nadu, Kuruvai crop may well be saved in Tamil Nadu. Kuruvai is cultivated over five lakh acres across Tiruvarur, Tiruchi, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and parts of Cuddalore.

It is worth noting that the Mettur Dam is opened when the water level surpasses the 90-foot mark. This benchmark has been met once in June and twice in July, as reported by the Water Resources Department. In the first week of August, the reservoir had consistently maintained this crucial water level.