Mandya: Condemning the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s move of releasing 9.19 tmc ft water from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam to Tamil Nadu, the Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha chief Vatal Nagraj protested here on Wednesday, May 29.
After garlanding the statue of “Nitya Sachiva” K V Shankaregowda’s statue at the Jayachamarajendra Circle, he protested by lying down on the Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway.
He also rolled on the floor imitating a ‘Urulu Seve” ritual performed in temples.
Later, speaking to media he said, “People and animals in the state have no proper facility for drinking water. Farmers too are facing unforgiving heat of summer and there is no proper water for crop cultivation. In such a situation, it is highly condemnable that the Cauvery Water Management Authority has ordered the release of water from KRS Dam to neighbouring state Tamil Nadu. Farmers who are solely dependent on River Cauvery are upset with this decision.”
“The situation is such that if the authority releases water from the KRS Dam to Tamil Nadu, then the people of Mandya, Mysuru, and Bengaluru have to face acute water crisis. The authority has not taken all these matters into consideration and blindly ordered the release to TN”, he added.
He warned the Congress-Janata Dal (S) state coalition government of violent protests if water was released.
Party leaders Parthasarathy, Sahmiana Shivanna and others were present.
KRRS protests condemning water release
The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) too staged protest on the Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway of Shivapura and blocked the road completely today.
KRRS leader Varadaraju who led the protest said, “The water stored in the KRS Dam is not even sufficient for drinking for the people of the state and in such a critical situation, the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s decision of releasing water to Tamil Nadu is unscientific. Farmers who are about to harvest are devastated by the water crisis. Instead of responding to the issues of our state farmers, the authority has ordered the release of water to the neighbouring state, which is unacceptable.”
“The authority must revoke the orders immediately or else it should be ready to face violent protests in coming days”, he added.
Taluk President of KRRS G A Shankar, leaders Ashok, Krishna, Lingappaji, Sathish, Shivaram and others were present.
