In view of a letter written by the Tamil Nadu Government to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to intervene in getting Cauvery water released from Karnataka, the latter maintained that it was not possible as the State was reeling under severe drought.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed in Mysuru on Saturday that the Tribunal order says when a crisis situation arises over the Cauvery, both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka should resolve the issue amicably.
He said that the State has been facing severe drought situation and all the reservoirs have dried up fast after the monsoon failure. Siddaramaiah said: “We have released sufficient water when the reservoirs were full. The present water level in the reservoirs is not sufficient.”
Meanwhile, BJP national vice-president and former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa on Saturday dared Siddaramaiah to come out with a ‘White Paper’ on State’s financial position.
Yeddyurappa charged the Congress Government as indifferent to the serious drought situation even as groundwater sources were depleting, fodder was getting scarce and agricultural labourers migrating to other States in search of work.
“The Chief Minister has not visited even a single drought-hit district so far. Even the Ministers concerned, including the Revenue Minister, the Agriculture Minister and the Rural Development Minister, were yet to visit the districts declared drought-hit,” he alleged.