The Karnataka government Wednesday night chose to defer release of 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till September 23, when a special session of the state legislature would take a decision on the Supreme Court direction.
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In a press release here on Wednesday, he said all party meeting was a meaningless exercise and a diversionary tactic aimed at hoodwinking the opposition parties as well as the people of Karnataka. The court could then seek compliance of its order by the state under President’s rule.
“In the backdrop of the interim order of the honorable Supreme Court dated 20-09-2016, government had today called an all-party meeting and discussed the matter in detail”.
Participants at the all-party meet included Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) supremo HD Deve Gowda, party chief HD Kumaraswamy, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) leader and Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha (SKP) legislator KS Puttannaiah. They will also discuss the implications of the Cauvery River Water Management Board (CRWMB).
This means Karnataka will not release the 6,000 cusecs of water, per day, to TN, as mandated by the SC on Tuesday.
“Till the session arrives at a decision, the issue of releasing of water has been postponed”.
Following the directive, Siddaramaiah said, “Since we do not have water, it is very hard to implement the apex court order”. This for the first time after the duo parted ways in 2007 that Siddaramaiah has met Deve Gowda.
After the all-party meeting, the CM wondered why, when all parties, including farmers’ leaders, participated in the meeting, the BJP had abstained.
“I have already spoken to Jagadish Shettar, Ananth Kumar, and Sadananda Gowda, and we have decided not to attend any meeting called by the chief minister on the Cauvery issue”, Yeddyurappa told reporters in Shivamogga.
Karnataka MLAs and MPs threatened to resign if the government did not take a decision favourable to the farmers in the state.
Opposing the direction to constitute a Cauvery Management Board, Krishna said “the KRS dam is Karnataka’s property” and various constitutional procedures would have to be followed before control over such reservoirs is taken from the State. He also emphasised the need for storage and conservation facilities to ensure water security around the country.
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Despite demands for his intervention, PM Narendra Modi has refused to intervene. Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal moved a resolution in the assembly saying his state did not have even one drop to share with other states.
