Complying with the Supreme Court directive, Karnataka on Sunday began release of Cauvery River water to Tamil Nadu, triggering widespread protests across the district and disrupting vehicular movement.

Irrigation authorities said about 5000 cusecs of water was being released from Krishnarajasagar Dam and Kabini Reservoir since Saturday night. According to sources, Karnataka will be ensuring flow of 9000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

The decision comes a day after an all-party meeting decided to request Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh to review the directive of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA, headed by him, asking Karnataka to release 9000 cusecs of water.

The all-party meet decision was taken in the backdrop of Supreme Court on Friday directing the state to implement the CRA order.

As the water release began, the farmers blocked the Bangalore- Mysore highway near Gejjalagere and more than 50 people including JD (S) MLA, C S Puttaraju have been arrested.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has suspended bus services apprehending violence.

Police have stepped up tight security in various parts of the district, the epi-centre of protests against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

On Friday, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Karnataka Government for failing to comply with the CRA directive to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu from 20th September to 15th October and warned that it would have to pass appropriate orders if Karnataka did not fall in line.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah (Congress) held the BJP Government responsible for the troubled situation in the Cauvery basin districts and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister, Jagadish Shettar.

The BJP Government failed to manage the situation and convince the Supreme Court about the prevailing water crisis in the state, he told reporters in Bangalore.

BJP, which is immersed in its own internal squabbles, neglected the Cauvery issue, he charged. “Because of the Government’s failure, the people of the state are suffering. Why the Government didn’t file a review petition before the Supreme Court?” he asked.

The government was trying to project as if the opposition had also been supporting its decision to release water to Tamil Nadu, he said and added that “it isn’t correct”.

The total requirement of water for irrigation and drinking purposes in Karnataka was about 155 TMC ft whereas the existing storage was only 69 TMC ft, he said.

He also flayed the stand taken by former Prime Minister and JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda, who suggested to the government to release some water to Tamil Nadu.