Kumaraswamy Slams CWRC Release Order Amid Severe Karnataka Water Deficits

Escalating Tensions Over Cauvery Water Directives

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy has condemned the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) latest mandate, which requires Karnataka to discharge 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu. Speaking at Mavinakere on Wednesday, Kumaraswamy labeled the directive a "death knell" for his home state, arguing that a deficient monsoon has already left local reservoirs depleted.

The Minister asserted that the order lacks both scientific and practical grounding given the current hydro-geological reality. Currently, Karnataka faces a dual crisis: a struggle to maintain agricultural productivity and a looming shortage of potable drinking water. Kumaraswamy called for a unified front, including political parties and agrarian organizations, to challenge the CWRC’s stance through legal and constitutional channels.

Failures in Storage and Resource Management

Reflecting on past management, the Minister highlighted missed opportunities during years of surplus. He noted that while reservoirs reached capacity three times during the previous year due to high rainfall, the Irrigation Department failed to divert that excess into regional lakes and tanks.

• Management Deficit: Excess water was permitted to flow downstream rather than being stored as a buffer against drought.
• Regional Inefficiency: The Minister noted that Tamil Nadu similarly failed to capture surplus rainwater, allowing it to discharge into the sea.
• Pragmatic Unionism: Despite the friction, Kumaraswamy emphasized that Karnataka must operate within the federal framework while protecting its internal interests.

A Call for Legal and Political Unity

Rather than assigning blame to legal experts or state officials, Kumaraswamy urged a shift toward long-term water security strategies. The Minister pointed out that the recurring nature of the Cauvery dispute proves that neither state has effectively learned to conserve resources during wet cycles. He insisted that the state must present an evidence-based case to the Cauvery authorities to illustrate the severity of the drought.

Kumaraswamy’s remarks occurred as he overlooked funeral ritual preparations for his mother, Chennamma Deve Gowda, at Mavinakere. The event is expected to draw large crowds from Holenarsipur and surrounding areas, reflecting the prominent standing of the H.D. Deve Gowda family in the region's political and social life.

Source: The Hindu — News