Bommai cautions Karnataka: Temporary rains are no permanent fix

Speaking to reporters after an all‑party meet in Bengaluru, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai reminded everyone that the monsoon showers they’ve just enjoyed are, at best, a brief pause in a long‑standing water crunch.

He warned the Karnataka government not to become complacent, especially with the Supreme Court set to hear the DMK’s petition on Cauvery sharing on Monday. “If we go into that courtroom without airtight, data‑backed arguments, we risk an adverse order that could put the state back in distress,” he said.

Bommai also flagged the state’s handling of the Krishnarajasagara (KRS) reservoir. He argued that water should not be released until the tank reaches its full capacity – a point that many water‑engineers would nod to, but which often clashes with political pressure.

Another bone of contention, he noted, is the abrupt cut in water releases from 9,500 cusecs to 3,500 cusecs. “Ensuring year‑round drinking water and keeping farmers irrigated is already a tightrope walk. Now we’re asking farmers to sit out the season – what compensation, if any, are they getting?” he wondered aloud.

Adding a broader political dimension, BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra has penned a letter to Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin, urging a “statesman‑like” stance on the Cauvery issue. Vijayendra also lobbied for Tamil Nadu’s support of Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir and the associated drinking‑water project, hoping the matter would unite the two states rather than drive a wedge.

In short, Bommai’s message was clear: enjoy the rain while it lasts, but start preparing for the dry spell ahead, armed with facts, not hope.