GULBARGA: “If the Supreme Court asks us to file objections to the fifth Interlocutory Application (IA) by Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery water issue, the state is prepared for a legal battle,” said Minister for Water Resources Basavaraj Bommai.
Addressing the media at Korwar village, Chittapur taluk, near here, on Friday, he said that so far Tamil Nadu has filed five IAs in the Supreme Court over the issue and that the apex court has directed that the 4 earlier IAs be taken up along with the original petition.
“It hasn’t said anything about the fifth IA yet; should the SC decide to hold hearing separately, we were ready for it as well,” he added.
The minister added that senior advocates representing Karnataka have been instructed to safeguard the interests of the state at any cost.
The water resources minister also averred that Karnataka must mount pressure on the Union government to look into the ground reality before giving any submission to the Supreme Court on the issue and taking any decision on the matter affecting the two riparian states.