Cauvery water issue: Pro-Kannada group to block highway in Bengaluru today

Pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj on Sunday said that the Pro-Kannada organization will block the National Highway near Hoskote toll in Bengaluru over the Cauvery water issue.

Also Read - The Cauvery water dispute explained

According to Nagaraj, the organization will block the highway today (October 10).

Earlier, on Thursday, Mandya police detained members of pro-Kannada organizations protesting over the Cauvery Water Issue.

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 the two states.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023.

Karnataka had filed a review petition against the order both in the Supreme Court and in CWMA (Cauvery Water Management Authority).

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier expressed his disappointment on the recommendation of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) which has directed Karnataka to ensure the release of 3000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 up to October 15, 2023.

"Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) ordered to release of 3,000 cusecs of water, I have already spoken to our advocates. They have suggested us to challenge this order in the Supreme Court. We will challenge it in the Supreme Court. We don't have water to release to Tamil Nadu. We are challenging the orders of the CWRC," CM Siddaramaiah had said.

Meanwhile, the Cauvery water-sharing issue has led to political turmoil in Karnataka with former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai accusing the state government of "lacking" the "will" to protect farmer's interests.

It is worth mentioning that the Karnataka government had cited a severe drought in parts of its state to refuse the supply of water to Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu government has accused its neighbour of lying to the nation about the supply of water.