Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar and former CMs Siddaramaiah and BS Yediyurappa at the all-party meeting on Cauvery water release.
Heavy rainfall in Kerala's Wayanad has sharply increased inflows into the Kabini reservoir, prompting Karnataka to release around 25,000 cusecs of water into the Cauvery throughout Saturday, August 1. The discharge to Tamil Nadu under the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) recent directive comes as the reservoir nears full capacity. Authorities have issued flood alerts for people living along the river basin and advised them to move to safer places.
The discharge comes amid the ongoing Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The CWRC had directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, a move that triggered protests by farmers in Karnataka, who argued that poor storage levels and deficient rainfall made the release untenable.
However, with the southwest monsoon becoming active over the past few days, the situation has changed considerably. Heavy rainfall in Wayanad, which forms a major part of the Kabini catchment, has led to a sharp rise in inflows, allowing Karnataka to release excess water while improving storage levels in its reservoirs.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has convened an all-party meeting on Sunday to discuss the CWRC's directive and Karnataka's response. The improved reservoir situation is expected to influence the state's stand, even as it continues to maintain that safeguarding drinking water and irrigation requirements remains its priority.
According to The Hindu, the Kabini reservoir in Mysuru district is now just four feet short of its full reservoir level (FRL). On August 1, the water level rose to 2,280.08 feet against its maximum capacity of 2,284 feet following the surge in inflows.
As inflows continued to increase, dam authorities progressively raised the outflow. Water was initially released at around 5,000 cusecs before the discharge was increased to nearly 25,000 cusecs. Around 30,000 cusecs of water flowed downstream from the reservoir over the course of the day.
Officials issued a flood alert for residents living along the Kabini and Cauvery river basins, asking those in vulnerable low-lying areas to shift to safer locations as a precaution.
Other reservoirs in the Cauvery basin have also recorded improved inflows.
In Kodagu district, the Harangi reservoir received substantial inflows following widespread rain in Madikeri and Somwarpet taluks. The reservoir's water level reached 2,857.30 feet against its full reservoir level of 2,859 feet. At one stage, Harangi was receiving an inflow of 16,880 cusecs, while the outflow stood at 19,700 cusecs. As inflows reduced later in the evening, the outflow was brought down to 12,500 cusecs.
The Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir also witnessed improved inflows. The water level stood at 95.57 feet against its maximum level of 124.80 feet. Officials expect reservoir levels to improve further if rainfall continues in Kodagu over the coming days.
The volume of Cauvery water released to Tamil Nadu is measured at Biligundlu on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
Shivakumar said the state could not hold back excess water once reservoirs began filling up. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru after offering prayers at the Chamundeshwari Temple for timely rains and the welfare of farmers, he remarked, "When the Kabini reservoir becomes full, water must be released. It's not possible to hold it back. I humbly request that the decision to protest against water release be abandoned.”
Regarding protests about Cauvery water release, he said, "Officials are providing hourly updates about water inflow into the Kabini reservoir. The inflow has reached 40,000 cusecs. Nature belongs to no one. We live according to nature's rules. Even if we decide not to release water, when the reservoir is full, it cannot hold any more water,” he said.
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