New Delhi, Nov 1: Karnataka today asserted that the farmers of the state have no cause to worry in the wake of Supreme Court directive to release water to Tamil Nadu and called for immediate convening of Cauvery River Authority to discuss the issue. "The standing crops in 5.9 lakh acres and drinking water supplies are fully protected by the present available storages of 40.61 tmcft coupled with expected inflows. Karnataka farmers, therefore, have no cause to worry", Karnataka water resources minister H K Patil told reporters soon after the apex court directed Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Mettur till November six.
Karnataka hoped that "without causing any depletion in the reservoirs of Karnataka, the requisite quantity of water can be ensured at Mettur reservoir", he said.
He said chief minister S M Krishna urged Prime Minsiter Atal Bihar Vajpayee, who is also the chairman of CRA, to convene meeting of CRA so that the issue could be discussed.

Stating that Karnataka would honour the court directive, Patil said the court had clarified that its directions were subject to modification taken by the CRA and also suggested for "an early decision" by the CRA. Bureau Report