“Will not release single drop of water to TN” says Siddaramiah as water shortage hits Karnataka

"We don't have water to release. There is no question of releasing water. Even if Tamil Nadu asks or the Center tells us to release (water) we'll not release. We will not give water whoever it may be," the Chief Minister said.

Chamarajanagar: Faced by severe water shortage, the Karnataka Government has said that it will not be in a position to release water to Tamil Nadu even if the centre asks it to do so. Karnataka Chief Minister made these remarks on Tuesday after the BJP held a protest at Bengaluru’s freedom park against the shortage of water in the state capital.

Denying allegations by the BJP that the Karnataka government is releasing water from the Cauvery River to Tamil Nadu. the Karnataka Chief Minister said, “That’s all lie what BJP is saying, we can release water only if we have water. That’s a lie. When we don’t have water to release, we don’t even give a single drop of water to Tamil Nadu or any others. Even Tamil Nadu didn’t ask for water.” Siddaramaiah further said that his state will not be releasing water to Tamil Nadu even if the Center directs it to do so.

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“We don’t have water to release. There is no question of releasing water. Even if Tamil Nadu asks or the Center tells us to release (water) we’ll not release. We will not give water whoever it may be,” the Chief Minister said.

According to local reports, water sources in many villages across the state have dried up. The problem has been further compounded by the depletion of groundwater and the drying up of more than 3000 borewells in the capital city.

As the state stares at a more severe summer this year than the last, according to Met officials, an estimated 7,082 villages and 1,193 wards, including those in Bengaluru Urban district, could face a drinking water crisis in the coming months, as per an assessment of the government on February 10.

Amid the water crisis in the city, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has prohibited the use of drinking water in swimming pools. Meanwhile, in reaction to the central government notifying the Rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), passed in 2019, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah questioned the inactivity of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the CAA in the last few years and said that they are implementing it since elections are coming up.

“They (Centre) have implemented CAA as elections are coming up. Why were they quiet till now? I oppose the granting of citizenship based on religion,” Siddaramaiah said speaking to reporters at Chamarajanagar on Tuesday.

On Monday evening, the Union Home Ministry notified rules for implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections schedule.

The Act aims to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants – including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians – who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.