Bangalore: A day ahead of the visit of a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led delegation, Karnataka today (June 9, 2004) communicated to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that there was no need for convening the meeting of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) "at this juncture".

Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh besides having a telephonic talk with the Prime Minister also sent a letter detailing the water level position in the reservoir of Cauvery basin and the "distress situation" faced by the State.

Speaking to reporters here, Singh said he had informed the Prime Minister that though parts of Cauvery basin received rains during May, the inflows have not pushed up water level even to the minimum level.

He said the storage position in all the four reservoirs of the Cauvery delta had touched the lowest level following failure of rains in the last two years and the State was yet to get copious showers during June.

Singh said, in the meanwhile, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has deputed a three-member team of officials led by its Chief Engineer Vasista to visit the State today.

The team, after holding consultations with the Irrigation Department officials and with him, would visit the four reservoirs and submit report to the Prime Minister.

Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who hails from Cauvery basin, said the State was not in a position to release water as the people faced "severe distress" situation.