• Source:ANI
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Cauvery River Water Dispute: Amid the ongoing tussle between the two southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, DMK leader TKS Elangovan on Thursday asserted that no river is owned by one state therefore the water from the Cauvery River should be distributed to four states because it runs across four states.

"No river is owned by one state, Cauvery must be distributed to four states because it runs across four states...when there is heavy rain there is a formula and when there is less rainfall then also there is a formula so we're (Tamil Nadu) asking to release water according to that formula, we are not asking to release the entire amount of water..." said Elangovan, as quoted by news agency ANI.

ALSO READ: What Is Cauvery Water Dispute? Why Are Karnataka Farmers Protesting Over Release Of Water To Tamil Nadu?

Since the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) ordered Karnataka to continue providing 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for an additional 15 days, it has brought the conflict between the two states under the spotlight.

Farmers staged a protest by standing in Cauvery water over the Cauvery water release issue. (Image: ANI)

Following the order from CWMA, farmers across Karnataka have been protesting. On September 26, pro-Kannada groups called for a Bengaluru Bandh. They also gave a fresh call for the Karnataka bandh on Friday after the Bengaluru bandh received a positive response across the capital city.

Many groups have come together under the aegis of Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti to demand a halt to releasing water to the neighbouring state. Their call for the Bengaluru Bandh on Tuesday has been supported by transport, commercial and school associations.

Earlier today, farmers staged a protest near the Cauvery River in Mandya opposing the state government for releasing water. Meanwhile, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike also held a protest against the state MPs in Bengaluru over the Cauvery water issue.

What Is Cauvery Water Disputes

With a basin area of 44,000 square kilometres in Tamil Nadu and 32,000 square kilometres in Karnataka, the Cauvery water-sharing dispute dates back to the British era. In 1990, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was established by the Indian government to settle water disputes involving the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry.

The CWDT then issued a temporary directive to Karnataka directing it to release 205 million cubic feet of water to Tamil Nadu every month or week. However, the Cauvery problem did not end there. Year after year, several discussions and rulings failed to resolve the two governments' disagreement over water allocation.

(With Inputs From Agencies)