Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

The dried Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir bed reflects the precarious water situation in the Karnataka. | Photo Credit: The Hindu 1. Cauvery Water Regulation Committee orders Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water a day for 15 days to Tamil NaduThe Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), which met in Delhi on July 28, 2026, has directed Karnataka to release 4 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu at a rate of 3,500 cusecs a day for 15 days. After hearing submissions and considering the live storage in both riparian States’ reservoirs and the anticipated worsening El Nino conditions, CWRC directed Karnataka to ensure a flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu, commencing July 29, 2026, 8 a.m., for 15 days, which works out to release of 4 tmcft.Expressing concern over the CWRC order that has come when the State is gripped by serious drought, Karnataka Water Resources Minister K. Ramalinga Reddy has said the State would examine the possibility of filing an appeal before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), which is the apex body that monitors implementation of Cauvery water release, against the CWRC order. He said he would take a final call after discussing with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and officials concerned.Meanwhile, the direction has turned tricky for the Congress government as the Opposition BJP has warned that “people would take to streets” if any water is released. Taking to social media, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok said: “People of the State are sure to take to streets to fight if Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar releases Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu during this crisis period of drought at the behest of the Congress high command to please the TVK government that is part of the INDIA alliance,” he remarked.2. KPSC veterinary officer recruitment row: Two FIRs transferred to CID in ₹80 lakh-for-job scamHours after opposition party leaders demanded a CBI probe, the Karnataka government has transferred two FIRs related to the alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Veterinary Officer recruitment to the Crime Investigation Department (CID). The development comes amid allegations that a Veterinary Officer’s post was being offered for as much as ₹80 lakh, with investigators probing the role of kingpins and possible involvement of KPSC staff.The first FIR was filed based on a complaint lodged by the Department of Animal Husbandry, while the second was registered following a complaint by a Veterinary Officer aspirant, Manjunath. The transfer was ordered by the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP). Police have decided to subject the two arrested middlemen — Sikandar Chaudhary (46), a headmaster from Vijayapura, and Arif Mohammed Mulla (45) of Jamakhandi in Bagalkot district — to further interrogation.3. Crank calls to Bengaluru’s Namma 112 helpline: A recurring challenge for police control room and Hoysala teamsThe Bengaluru city police’s 112 Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) is increasingly struggling under the weight of blank and crank calls, with control room staff and Hoysala patrol teams bearing the brunt of the misuse. The recurring challenge of dealing with false information not only wastes police resources but can also delay response to genuine emergencies, officals say.Official data shows that while the emergency helpline handled 5,01,813 genuine Calls for Service (CFS) in 2025, it also received a staggering 15,88,868 blank calls and 7,848 crank calls. The trend has continued in 2026, with 1,91,708 service calls, 5,62,911 blank calls and 3,532 crank calls recorded in the first half of the year. Published - July 28, 2026 07:11 pm IST