In a late night development on Tuesday, the Karnataka government decided to release 10 tmc ft of water to Tamil Nadu as per the directions of the Supreme Court. The all-party meet held at Bengaluru discussed the tricky situation threadbare.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, addressing reporters after the meet, said the government was not in a position to defy the court order and had to heed it despite a situation of distress in the State following deficient rainfall.

There existed less than half the capacity of water in the four reservoirs of the Cauvery and its tributaries as Karnataka had witnessed a failed monsoon this year.

‘Democratic compulsion’

“We live in democracy and Karnataka has a democratic government. We will have to follow the Supreme Court order,” he explained.

“We will abide by it (the apex court order), but we will also immediately file a modification petition before the Supreme Court and also approach the Supervisory Committee of the Cauvery River Water Tribunal to explain the distress situation,” Siddaramaiah said.

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