Even though the state government claimed that it cannot release Cauvery water from Cauvery river reservoirs to Tamil Nadu, nearly 5,000 to 7,000 cusecs of water is reaching Biligundlu measuring station for the last couple days. It is at Biligundlu on the border of two states, the Centre installed a station to measure the release of Cauvery water.
Top sources pointed out that CM, Jagadish Shettar too had agreed in-principle at the CRA meet on September 19 in New Delhi that the state was ready to release 5,000 cusecs every day. However, this was objected to by Tamil Nadu. "Actually we had even given consent to them. But, when the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh directed the state to release 9,000 cusecs, Mr Shettar walked out. Had we agreed to CRA's formula, then we would be forced to release even water stored in our reservoirs, which would have put undue stress on the state. Therefore, we had no option but to walk out of the meeting," the source explained At 8 am on Saturday morning, 7,116 cusecs of water was mesured at Biligundlu. It takes at least 48 hours for water released from Cauvery basin reservoirs to reach the Biligundlu measuring station. On Saturday, the water release was set at 2200 cusecs.
Speaking to DC, a highly placed source in the state government explained the reasons why the state cannot stop water flow completely to the Tamil Nadu. "There are multiple reasons to release water. One, invariably there will be leakage in the sluice gates. Two, upper riparian state have to protect the marine life and river ecology system alive by releasing water and finally, to minimise the impact of inflow on the dam, water has to be released, sources explained.
“Though there is a small segment of fishermen dependent on fishing, we can not ignore them, sources added. Meanwhile, following MLC Ashwath Narayan’s request, the BBMP passed a resolution to support the farmers’ cause by expressing solidarity with them in their protest against release of Cauvey water to Tamil Nadu. Padayatra will be held from the BBMP to Basaveshwara Circle and later all the 198 corporators reach Mandya by bus to meet former member of parliament G. Made Gowda.