From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Sep 12: With farmers and various organizations staging protests over the State Government’s acceptance of the Supreme Court’s direction to release 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu over the next nine days, Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has appealed to the people of Cauvery basin districts to maintain peace.

The chief minister, who addressed the media at his home office Krishna in the wake of protests in Mandya district and also in Bangalore and Mysore, asserted that the Government would do its best to protect the interests of the people of the State, especially the farmers.

Shettar declared that his Government would not compromise the interests of the State as well as farmers while sharing Cauvery waters.

The Chief Minister said he had already held a meeting of Opposition leaders on Tuesday and would hold another round of consultations on September 15  as part of the exercise to build wide political consensus on the handling of the Cauvery water issue.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would chair the Cauvery River Authority meeting on September 19, he said and assured the people that the Government would put forth the State’s stand before the meeting.

The State would place its views and convince that the state was not in a position to release more water under the present circumstances, he said.

“We will convince the Prime Minister on the drought situation in the State and the acute shortage of drinking water,” he said.

Karnataka has told the Supreme Court that it will release 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till September 20.

Police have stepped up security at the K R S reservoir and other areas in the Cauvery basin.