DK Shivakumar Asks Tamil Nadu CM Vijay to Defer Bengaluru Visit

Shivakumar Seeks Postponement

D.K. Shivakumar on Friday requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to defer his planned Bengaluru visit on August 3, amid heightened tensions over the Cauvery water-sharing issue.

Shivakumar said the situation in Karnataka was currently sensitive and suggested that the visit could be rescheduled until tensions ease.

Cauvery Order Sparks Protests

The request came after the Cauvery Water Management Authority upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's direction asking Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from July 29.

The order amounts to roughly four thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) of water and has triggered protests in parts of Karnataka.

Appeal for Dialogue

Shivakumar said Karnataka should continue efforts to resolve the Cauvery dispute through cordial dialogue with Tamil Nadu.

He also said the state would not take decisions against Karnataka's interests while remaining bound by the applicable distress-sharing arrangement governing the river's waters.

Bandh Call on August 13

Pro-Kannada organisations have called for a statewide bandh on August 13 in protest against the Cauvery water-sharing decision.

Shivakumar appealed to the organisations to withdraw the bandh, noting that previous court rulings had discouraged such shutdowns because of their impact on the public.

Government to Hold All-Party Meeting

The Karnataka government has convened an all-party meeting on August 2 to discuss the state's response to the latest Cauvery water order.

Former chief ministers, MPs and MLAs from Cauvery-basin districts have been invited to participate.

Water Availability

Shivakumar also sought to allay fears of an immediate drinking-water crisis, saying Cauvery-basin reservoirs currently hold around 40 tmc ft of water, although a portion is expected to be lost through evaporation.

He maintained that Karnataka would nevertheless have to follow the prescribed water-sharing formula.

Looking Ahead

The Cauvery dispute is expected to remain a major political and administrative issue for Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The August 2 all-party meeting and developments surrounding the proposed August 3 visit are likely to shape the next phase of discussions between the two states.