On the advice of its advocates, Karnataka has stepped up the release of water to Tamil Nadu to comply with the Supreme Court directive.
A source close to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar told The New Indian Express that the discharge of water from the Krishnaraja Sagar Reservoir to Tamil Nadu has been increased. The Supreme Court had directed Karnataka to release 2.44 tmc ft of water.
One of the advocates representing Karnataka in the Supreme Court told Express that the state had been directed to increase the release of water to 6,000 to 8,000 cusecs to ensure that the state complied with the court orders.
“It is true that the Chief Minister was advised to step up release of water to Tamil Nadu. Or else Karnataka has to face contempt. Before filing a review petition, we need to tell the court that Karnataka has honoured the orders of releasing 2.44 tmc ft of water to Tamil Nadu,” the advocate said.
The advocate said that Fali S Nariman, Karnataka’s counsel in the Supreme Court, was upset with the “attitude” of Karnataka over the release of water following directions from the Supreme Court.
He reportedly told the Chief Minister and Water Resources Basavaraj Bommai that “your are defeating our victory”.
Refusing to obey the orders the country’s highest court was nothing but “stupidity”, Nariman is said to have told Shettar and the Minister.
Karnataka has to first honour the directions of the Supreme Court and it can think of filing a review petition later, he added.