Amid protests, Karnataka govt agrees to release more Cauvery water to TN

At an all-party meeting, Siddaramaiah said that he cannot defy the Supreme Court's orders.

This comes even as protests roiled Karnataka on Tuesday as demonstrators blocked highways and resorted to burning tyres against the apex court order.

Bus services between the two states were hit as the authorities also pulled off hundreds of bus plying between Karnataka (Bangalore and Mysore) and Tamil Nadu and even Kerala.

In Mandya in southern Karnataka, which is in the Cauvery basin, a complete shutdown has been enforced by the farmers against the court verdict.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has convened an all-party meeting  later in the day.

The Supreme Court on Monday  directed the  Karnataka Government  to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water every day to Tamil Nadu  for the next 10 days to spare the farmers of the latter from distress.

According to reports, the  apex court has also asked Tamil Nadu to approach the supervisory committee for release of Cauvery water as per the tribunal’s order.

Last week, the top court had advised the  Karnataka Government  to ‘live and let live’ and consider releasing water to the neighbouring state. It asked Karnataka to inform how much water it can release.

In response, the  Karnataka Government  filed an additional affidavit in the Supreme Court,  saying that the state cannot release water since the level of water at Cauvery basin was at 51 tmcft.

The Tamil Nadu Government had earlier  petitioned at the Supreme Court demanding a release of 50 tmcft water for irrigation.