Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday expressed confidence that there won’t be any dispute with Tamil Nadu with regard to the sharing of Cauvery waters this year because of good rains and all four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin reaching their full storage capacity.
Speaking to reporters after offering ‘bagina’ at Kabini dam in H.D. Kote taluk, Mr. Siddaramaiah, who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and some of his Cabinet colleagues, said 80 tmc ft water had been released to Tamil Nadu so far this year as against 40 tmc ft that needed to be released to the neighboring state in June and July. More water had been released to Tamil Nadu so far this year, he added.
“If nature continues to bless the State, with good rains, I don’t think there will be any rift with T.N. on the sharing of waters,” he said.
The CM said the State had received 30% surplus rains so far this year. “The State faced drought last year. This is my third or fourth bagina offering to Kabini dam,“ Mr. Siddaramaiah said, adding that the dam facilitates irrigation of 1.3 lakh hectares.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said farmers are happy with all four dams in the Cauvery basin being full to the brim. The combined storage capacity of the four dams is 114 tmc ft.
The CM said 66 lakh hectares of land has been sown this year because of good rains in the State. “The State will be happy if farmers are happy. Farmers will be happy if the State gets good rains.”
He said the State will once again call for tenders for developing a botanical garden at the Kabini dam.
Minister in-charge of Mysuru district H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister for Sericulture and Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh, MLA Anil Chikkamadu, MLAs and MLCs and officials were present.
