Former Karnataka Minister for Agriculture N. Cheluvarayaswamy on Thursday, 30 July called on Opposition parties to refrain from politicising the Cauvery water dispute, stressing that securing drinking water for Karnataka's residents must remain the state government's paramount concern. His remarks came hours after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu.

The Water Crisis at Hand

Addressing an emergency press conference in Bengaluru, Cheluvarayaswamy warned that the Cauvery basin had received significantly below-normal rainfall this month, with forecasts offering little hope of improvement in the near term. He said several districts, including Bengaluru, were already grappling with drinking water concerns.

'The Cauvery basin has not received the expected rainfall this month, and forecasts indicate that there is little likelihood of heavy rain in the coming days. Several districts, including Bengaluru, are facing concerns over drinking water availability. Protecting drinking water is our foremost priority,' he said.

What the Government Has Done

The former minister said Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had already placed all relevant facts — including reservoir storage levels and rainfall data — before the Cauvery authorities. He added that discussions had also been held with Members of Parliament and Union Ministers, and expressed confidence that Karnataka would receive a fair hearing in the proceedings.

Cheluvarayaswamy firmly dismissed allegations by some farmers that water was being released to Tamil Nadu overnight, calling the claims misinformation. 'If we had already released water, there would have been no need for us to approach the authorities and fight the case. The government has maintained a firm stand that it is not in a position to release water,' he said.

A Recurring Pattern

The former minister noted that drought-like conditions in the Cauvery basin tend to surface once every two to three years, and recalled that comparable crises had emerged during the tenures of former Chief Ministers H.D. Deve Gowda, S.M. Krishna, B.S. Yediyurappa, and Siddaramaiah. 'At present, preserving drinking water is more important than releasing water for crops,' he added, underscoring the government's order of priorities.

Call for Opposition Support and All-Party Meet

Criticising the Opposition's protests, Cheluvarayaswamy urged political parties to cooperate with the government rather than seek political mileage from a sensitive situation. 'At this sensitive juncture, Opposition parties should refrain from unnecessary politics. Rather than trying to derive political benefit from the situation, they should cooperate with the government in finding a solution. In fact, the Union government should take the lead and play a mediating role in this dispute,' he said.

He expressed confidence that Opposition leaders would offer constructive suggestions at a proposed all-party meeting on the Cauvery issue. He also noted that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had agreed to hold discussions and was expected to visit Vidhana Soudha on 3 August. Cheluvarayaswamy also appealed to Kannada organisations and the public to remain patient and cooperate with the government as it navigates the dispute.

MLAs Uday K.M. and Ravi Ganiga, along with MLC Dinesh Gooligowda, were present at the press conference.