Bengaluru: Former Karnataka minister N. Chaluvarayaswamy on Thursday appealed to political parties to avoid politicising the Cauvery water dispute, saying the state’s immediate priority is to safeguard drinking water amid deficient rainfall in the Cauvery basin.
Addressing a press conference, Chaluvarayaswamy said Karnataka was facing a serious water shortage, with several districts, including Bengaluru, experiencing drinking water concerns due to poor monsoon rainfall. He said the government’s foremost responsibility was to ensure drinking water supply before considering other demands.
Refuting allegations that Karnataka had released water to Tamil Nadu overnight, he said the state government had not voluntarily released any water and had instead argued before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) that prevailing conditions did not permit such releases.
The remarks came after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day for 15 days to Tamil Nadu, a decision later upheld by the CWMA despite Karnataka’s appeal.
Chaluvarayaswamy urged the BJP and other opposition parties to support the government’s efforts instead of turning the issue into a political controversy. He expressed confidence that the upcoming all-party meeting would help evolve a consensus in the state’s interest.
He also appealed to pro-Kannada organisations and the public to maintain calm and cooperate with the government ahead of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s proposed visit on August 3 for discussions related to the Cauvery issue.
