Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the Supreme Court direction to the state to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for six days was unimplementable because they did not have the resources to comply with the order. He said the Cauvery Supervisory Committee had ignored the facts on the ground reality that they had submitted and directed them earlier to release 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, an order Karnataka had challenged in the top court on Tuesday.

Siddaramaiah said they will discuss the "pros and cons of the Supreme Court order" at an all-party meeting as well as a state cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He added that they will also consult legal experts and decide on a course of action after taking opinions from leaders of various parties, PTI reported. Karnataka told the court on Tuesday, "We will have to sacrifice our drinking water for irrigation purposes in Tamil Nadu."

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Security was heightened in the state in anticipation of protests against the apex court order. A number of platoons of security forces were deployed to prevent any form of unrest. The chief minister appealed for peace and assured the public that the government "is committed" to protect the interest of the state and its people.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu was highly appreciative of the Supreme Court order in its favour. "We thank Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for the legal measures she undertook to secure the apex court verdict," said Tamil Nadu All Farmers' Federations President PR Pandian. Political parties in Tamil Nadu called it a historic verdict.

Initially, the apex court had asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water from the river to Tamil Nadu, but it later modified its order and reduced the quantity to 12,000 cusecs. The court verdict had led to widespread protests carried out by farmers in Karnataka, who argued that the state needed the water more that its neighbour. Tamil Nadu had also held a bandh on September 16, with farmers' and traders' bodies saying Tamilians had been targeted by Kannadiga protestors.