Supreme Court order binding, had to open dams: CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Asserting that water would not be released to Tamil Nadu ignoring the interests of the state's farmers, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah explained on Monday that water from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in Mandya district had been discharged to the neighbouring state in response to the Supreme Court's order.

While assuring that not all water stored in the reservoir had been let into the river Cauvery to flow to Tamil Nadu , he said the release was intended to stop it from going on appeal to court and demanding release of water from KRS.

The Chief Minister, who was responding to questions from reporters here on the opposition of Mandya farmers to the release of water from KRS to Tamil Nadu, accused its government of hiding facts on the water sharing dispute.

On building a reservoir at Mekedatu across the river Cauvery in Ramanagara district, he said a Detailed Project Report had been submitted to the Union government and he was confident it would be cleared.

Admitting that the state had received deficit rainfall this monsoon too and there was drought in several parts, he said the government would, however, wait for the next weather forecast to see if any improvement in rain was expected before going ahead with cloud seeding. Mr Siddaramaiah revealed that he would go in for a cabinet expansion soon.

Later, addressing the Mysuru divisional Congress party meeting here, he maintained that his four years in power had been scam- free, unlike the last BJP government. "I have never been involved in scams like former Chief Minister and BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, who went to jail," he declared.