Cauvery panel directs K’taka to release 1 tmcft of water to TN every day, CM Siddaramaiah to chair meeting

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 12 (ANI): An emergency meeting of the Water Resources Department has been called on Friday at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's residence after the Cauvery Water Control Committee recommended releasing 1 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu every day.
Karnataka Dy CM and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar, senior officials of the department, Minister of Cauvery Valley will participate in the meeting.
The meeting will be held at Chief Minister's Home Office Krishna at 3 pm.
Earlier, after facing a severe water shortage, the Karnataka Government had said that it will not be in a position to release water to Tamil Nadu even if the centre asked it to do so.
Denying allegations by the BJP that the Karnataka government is releasing water from the Cauvery River to Tamil Nadu, the Karnataka Chief Minister said, "That's all lie what BJP is saying, we can release water only if we have water. That's a lie. When we don't have water to release, we don't even give a single drop of water to Tamil Nadu or any others. Even Tamil Nadu didn't ask for water."
Siddaramaiah further said that his state will not be releasing water to Tamil Nadu even if the Center directs it to do so.
"We don't have water to release. There is no question of releasing water. Even if Tamil Nadu asks or the Center tells us to release (water) we'll not release. We will not give water to whoever it may be," the Chief Minister said.
The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been locked in a protracted tussle over the sharing of Cauvery waters. The river is seen as a major source of sustenance for the people in either state.
The Centre formed the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on June 2, 1990, to adjudicate disputes between Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Puducherry with respect to their individual water-sharing capacities. (ANI)