![[FILE] Both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been at loggerheads for decades over sharing of Cauvery river water | PTI](https://img.theweek.in/content/dam/week/news/india/images/2018/5/12/cauvery-tiruchirapalli-pti31318new.jpg.image.340.191.jpg "[FILE] Both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been at loggerheads for decades over sharing of Cauvery river water | PTI")
Protests over the Cauvery water row spilt over to the streets in Karnataka on Wednesday night after farmers in Mandya staged a candle-light vigil against the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC)'s interim order asking the state to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily for the next 15 days.
The CWRC decided on the issue in New Delhi on Monday after a two-hour long deliberation, which saw the panel fix on 5,000 cusecs of water, much less than the 24,000 sought by Tamil Nadu, and more than 3,000 cusecs agreed on by Karnataka.
The decision resulted in a flare-up in Karnataka, with farmers launching an all-out protest. The farmers’ union led by Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah has decided to launch an indefinite strike at Brindavan Gardens near KRS Dam from Thursday seeking an immediate stop to the release of water. Another group of farmers have called for a protest near Mandy Deputy Commissioner’s office.
#WATCH | Karnataka | Farmers in Mandya staged a protest late at night as the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) passed an interim order asking Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily for the next 15 days till September 2. pic.twitter.com/2uQwwubjnZ
— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2023
Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar said he is planning to travel to Delhi to discuss the Cauvery water issue. Shivakumar added that deliberations are being held with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other legal experts about the prevailing situation.
As per local media reports, Karnataka began releasing the water from the KRS Dam to the river on Wednesday night, causing the water level of the reservoir to fall to 100.96 feet out of a total storage capacity of 124.80 feet.
Shivakumar, who holds the major and medium irrigation projects portfolio, told reporters that Karnataka fought the issue vigorously at the CWRC meet. "We have explained our situation. The technical committee too presented the case. Our officers too have explained the exact situation. We are going to speak to our legal experts. I will speak to the Chief Minister. I have spoken to our officers about the prevailing situation," Shivakumar told reporters in Mysuru on Wednesday.
The Cauvery case is coming up in the Supreme Court on Friday. Tamil Nadu government has submitted a plea seeking the release of 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily by Karnataka for standing crops. But, the three-judge bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai refused to pass an order on the issue and instead referred the matter to the CWMA.
