PMK chief Ramadoss said, “though the Supreme Court direction to release 6000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu per day from tomorrow till September 27 is not sufficient, the ruling to constitute CMB is historic and we welcome it whole heartedly”. “After taking views and opinion of leaders from all parties we will proceed further”, the CM said.
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Tamil Nadu agreed with Karnataka’s arguments that the Supervisory Committee went beyond its mandate by limiting the quantum of water to be released to Tamil Nadu despite a tribunal order.
These pending litigations in the SC have bound the hands of the central government from forming the Cauvery Management Board, which the apex court has now asked the Centre to establish in four weeks in a highly optimistic order.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday urged the Karnataka government to release more Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu and start a dialogue to end differences.
Earlier on September 12, the Supreme Court had ordered release of water from 10-15 days, while reducing the quantum of release of water from 15,000 cusecs to 12,000 cusecs.
Following the Supreme Court’s order on Tuesday, protesters have already taken to the streets in Mandya.
He argued that the tribunal decree would be hard to implement because Karnataka does not get normal rainfall every year.
Many leaders from both Congress and JD (S), especially from Mandya that is the epicentre of the Cauvery water crisis and protests, are planning to resign if the cabinet decision is unfavourable to the state’s farmers, said a source close to JD (S) party.
“The government is committed to protect the interest of the state, its people and its farmers”.
Senior advocate Fali Nariman, appearing for Karnataka, repeatedly asked the court not to pass any “pro-tem” order arguing that it would set an erroneous precedent when the state was facing a drinking water problem. He has thrown his weight behind Siddaramaiah who has sought a meeting of the heads of the three states – Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu – and of union territory Puducherry, through which the Cauvery flows.
Justice Misra said: “First of all, the Cauvery Water Management Board has to be constituted”. The apex court’s Tuesday’s order will be placed at the all-party meeting along with the state’s representation to the supervisory committee and the petitions the state has filed before a division bench to plead the state’s inability to release any more water for irrigation to the neighbouring state. “Mr. Modi has to reject the direction of Supreme Court”, he said. He also wanted the authorities to ensure the safety of Tamils in Karnataka.
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Salve immediately retorted and said that it is time that the matter is settled.
