As the Cauvery Supervisory Panel meets on Monday in Delhi to decide the quantum of water Karnataka should release to Tamil Nadu and other riparian states, police are maintaining vigil in sensitive areas of the state.
The Times of India reports that while Tamil Nadu hopes to get more water from the Cauvery, the state of Karnataka hopes that the panel would exonerate it from releasing more water after September 20.
This will be the second time the committee will meet, as the previous meeting did not yield any concrete decisions for the lack of information from both the states. The committee is headed by Union water resource secretary Shashi Shekhar.
According to the report, the committee is expected to postpone the decision and ask for more information to be provided from both the states.
What are Karnataka’s demands?
Karnataka will reportedly submit fresh data to substantiate its argument that the reservoirs in the state are in a crisis.
It will also demand that an expert panel visit the reservoirs to understand the ground reality. Karnataka will also point out the agricultural crisis that could stem from releasing more water, especially in areas of Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar.
As on September 17, the four major reservoirs have water levels below 30 tmcft, with Krishnaraja Sagar dam at 8.85 tmcft as opposed to its storage capacity of 45.05 tmcft. Hemavathi has 6.82tmcft as opposed to its capacity of 35.76 tmcft. The smaller reservoirs of Harangi and Kabini have a deficit of 50% and 49%, with water levels at 4.08 tmcft and 7.75 tmcft only.
According to fresh data prepared by the government as on September 17, water in the Cauvery basin reservoirs is sufficient only for the drinking purpose of 48 towns and 632 villages which derive water from the Cauvery, reports TOI.
Security arrangements
After SC modified its order asking Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till September 20, Karnataka witnessed sporadic violence with many establishments owned by Tamils being vandalized.
With the police trying to avoid repetition of last week’s violence in the city, security has been beefed up to avoid untoward incidents.
According to reports, various Kannada organisations have called for a roadblock at Attibele on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
Central forces deployed in the city will continue to monitor the situation in Bengaluru. Police officers on the ground have been instructed to enforce prohibitory orders and arrest anybody who indulge themselves in illegal activities.
We have 13 companies of central forces, apart from the city police units. All of them will be utilized. Sensitive areas will get additional security. Anyone taking the law into their own hands will be immediately arrested,“ Charan Reddy, additional commissioner of police told TOI.