Cauvery issue: K'taka govt convenes all-party meet

The Karnataka government has convened an all party meeting in Bangalore on Tuesday to finalise its stand on the cauvery river water sharing issue at the upcoming Cauvery River Authority (CRA) meet.

"We will inform the prime minister on the distress situation faced by Karnataka due to failure of rains and also the severe drought conditions," Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar told reporters.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened the CRA meeting in Delhi on September 19 to discuss the water sharing issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The Supreme Court has asked the prime minister to convene the CRA meet to debate the water release issue raised by Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka, in a goodwill gesture, today agreed before the apex court to release 10,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu till September 20.

Meanwhile members of Rajya Raitha Sangha, a farmers' outfit, protested in Cauvery heartland Mandya against the water release.

As many as 152 taluks out of 176 have been declared as drought-hit in Karnataka.