Mandya: Following continued protests over release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, the State Government on Thursday stopped release of water.

On an average, 12,000 cusecs of water was being released from KRS Dam in Srirangapatna taluk of the district to Tamil Nadu for the past 10 days, which had led to a series of protests by farmer Organisations and Opposition parties. Chief Minister Siddharamaiah had called an all-party meeting on Aug.23, during which the Opposition parties had promised co-operation to the State Government regarding  the Cauvery row. Following the meeting, the release of water to Tamil Nadu from KRS Dam has been stopped, which can be termed as a victory to the farming community, who had vehemently protested the release of water at a time when Karnataka is badly affected by poor monsoon.

Meanwhile, the water level in KRS Dam today stood at 102.74 ft (max.level – 124.80 ft) and the inflow was recorded at 3,276 cusecs while the outflow to the river and Canals was recorded at 7,654 cusecs.

Water release as per SC order: Deputy CM

Even as the Opposition parties and the farmers continued with their protests against the State Government over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also the Water Resources Minister, defended the release of water saying that the Government was only following the Supreme Court (SC)  order.

Speaking to presspersons in Mysuru yesterday, Shivakumar, who was on a visit to the city for holding an official meeting on the preparations for Gruha Lakshmi Scheme launch, said that the Cauvery basin had recorded a 40 percent deficit rainfall this year thus far. But the Government had to release water to Tamil Nadu as per the SC direction, he said adding that the Karnataka Government was also working on protecting the interests of the farmers at the same time.

Karnataka is filing a petition in the SC challenging the order on the release of Cauvery water to TN, he added.