However, the latter said it will not be able to release any more water due to shortage of rainfall.
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The SC asked Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand to issue a notification constituting the Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB) within four weeks. “Since we do not have water, it [the apex court’s order] is very hard to implement”. “This order is unimplementable”.
The court today directed that 6,000 cusecs of water be released per day, an increase of 3,000 cusecs from what the Supervisory committee had directed on September 19. We are aggrieved by the order of the committee. “Meanwhile, we will consult legal experts and teams”, Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday.
Keeping in mind the last week’s widespread violence over the Cauvery issue in Bengaluru, Siddarmaiah said, “I appeal to the people, especially to people from Cauvery basin to maintain peace; they should not get carried away by emotions”.
The Karnataka chief minister on Wednesday said through his official Twitter handle that the state was deferring the release of water to Tamil Nadu, but did not confirm till what time this deferment would be active.
On September 12, the apex court had asked both the states to ensure that “law and order” prevails. Protests have broken out and activists in Mandya have announced a district bandh on Tuesday.
Shekhar said that dispute over water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu generally arose during shortages. “Now, with this adverse order, we feel inclined to take an offensive position”. Soon after this meeting, the all party meeting was held and this was followed by a continuation of a cabinet meeting was held which made a decision to defer the release of water. He added that if Cauvery water is not released this year too, there will be no other way than to forget even using water for flushing purposes in the toilets!
What is worrying Karnataka is the order on the constitution of a new Cauvery Water Management Board. One such case came to Supreme Court’s hearing today for which an historic judgement was given to the surprise of everyone.
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In its final award, the tribunal had recommended the monthly release of water to every state during a normal year when the overall water availability for Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is about 740 thousand million cubic feet (TMC ft). They will release the water as per the order. Prohibitory Orders under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code has been extended till September 23 in five taluks expect in K R Pet and Nagamangala according to a report from Mandya.
