Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jul 4: "The state government will not take any decision in haste," said Karnataka water resources minister D K Shivakumar after Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed Karnataka government to release June month’s quota of 34 tmc ft of water to Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to the media here on July 3, Shivakumar said, "The government will hold a meeting between elected representatives and farm leaders from the Cauvery basin area to discuss the issue and future course of action between July 6 to 10. The dams in Cauvery basin should have that much quantity of water to release to Tamil Nadu," he said alleging that Tamil Nadu had put forth a demand more than its requirement before the authority.

“The decision will be taken after assessing the problems of farmers in Tamil Nadu and understanding the needs of the farmers of Karnataka. We shall also present our case to Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWMC) which is holding a meeting on July 5,” he said.

He also said he will take the opinions of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and former water resources minister M B Patil regarding the authority’s direction.

When asked to comment on the authority’s decision, he said he needed to discuss with the state’s representative in authority Rakesh Singh before commenting.