Cauvery water release: Congress MLA says low reservoir levels make situation difficult for government

BENGALURU: Congress MLA from Kunigal, Dr H D Ranganath on Wednesday said the state government was facing a difficult situation over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, following a tribunal direction to release around 12,000 cusecs of water for another 15 days.

Ranganath said Karnataka had already released water and expressed concern over the availability of water in the state’s reservoirs. He said the Cauvery, Kabini and Hemavathi reservoirs were not filled to their capacity, making the decision particularly difficult for the government.

“We will do our work. The Tribunal has given a verdict asking us to release around 12,000 cusecs of water for 15 more days, in spite of us already having given water,” Ranganath said.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: Congress MLA Dr Ranganath says, “… We will do our work. The Tribunal has given a verdict asking us to release around 12,000 cusecs of water for 15 more days, in spite of us already having given water. To my knowledge, I feel that Tamil Nadu is… pic.twitter.com/ts07GGbD28

— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2026

He said Tamil Nadu was comparatively better placed in terms of groundwater availability and was also expected to receive monsoon rainfall in the coming months. “To my knowledge, I feel that Tamil Nadu is better placed in groundwater, and there is also a monsoon expected in the next two months for Tamil Nadu, which we are deprived of. So it is a very difficult situation for our government, and our Chief Minister will take a decision on that,” he said.

The MLA said the state government’s decision would have to take into account the water available in Karnataka’s reservoirs and the requirements of its own farmers and people.

He said protests and bandhs over the issue were not the solution and called for greater focus on exploring alternatives within the legal framework. “Doing bandh and protest is not an issue. Let’s work on the alternative issue and its legality,” Ranganath said.

His comments came amid continued political debate in Karnataka over the sharing of Cauvery water with Tamil Nadu. The issue has historically remained sensitive in both states, with water releases often triggering political opposition and protests in Karnataka.

Ranganath also defended the Congress government’s approach of consulting its leadership on the matter, saying taking suggestions from the party’s high command should not be viewed negatively. “We work under high command. Taking suggestions from high command is not damaging,” he said.

He also dismissed allegations being levelled by the BJP over the government’s handling of the Cauvery water issue. “BJP alleges for everything; let them do their work, we will do our work,” Ranganath said. The MLA said that the final decision would be taken by Chief Minister DK Shivkumar after considering the circumstances.

Ranganath’s remarks highlighted the challenge before the state government of complying with the tribunal’s direction while also ensuring adequate water availability for Karnataka. He maintained that rather than allowing the issue to become a matter of repeated protests and bandhs, efforts should be made to examine legally viable alternatives and find a solution that takes into account the interests of all stakeholders. (ANI)