Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh today (June 14, 2004) categorically ruled in the legislative assembly release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and asserted that the need for yielding to the Centre's "pressure" on the issue did not arise.

Maintaining that the Government would not compromise on the interests of the state and its farmers, Singh said, "The question of releasing even a drop of water is not there (before us)."

Singh said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had faxed a letter informing of her Government's decision to send an "official delegation" to Bangalore on June 15-16 to seek water release.

"There is no commitment on our part. There is also no need for us to yield to the pressure from the Centre," Singh told the house as Opposition BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader B S Yediyurappa and other members sought to know the Government's position on the water release issue.

An all party delegation from Tamil Nadu met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week and sought his intervention to prevail upon Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu, which was followed up by the Centre by sending a team to inspect the water storage position in reservoirs of the Cauvery basin of both States.

A Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led delegation had also met the Karnataka Chief Minister but the Government gave no commitment on the water release.