MYSURU: The Union Water Resources Ministry forming the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has not gone down well with farmers of the Cauvery basin.The Union government’s move, despite Karnataka’s protest and plea not to constitute the board untill the Centre clears the state’s apprehension, has raised doubts over the panel protecting interests of state’s farmers.
Many feel that the Centre should have addressed and clarified the issues raised by the state and issuing a notification in this regard in a hurry would lead to law and order problems and may affect relationship
between riparian states as it is a sensitive issue.Though the farmers in the region are yet to know contents of the draft and terms and conditions in detail, they are against the panel monitoring inflow and outflow of reservoirs every 10 days and discharge of water into canals.
This close monitoring will directly infringe upon the rights of local farmers, people say. Swamy, a farmer, said: “Why should we go with a bowl to the board for immediate drinking water needs during summer.”
Cauvery Raitha Hitharakshana Samithi chairman and former MP G Made Gowda said the state should follow the Supreme Court order.
Expressing apprehensions over issuing the notification in a hurry when there is no member from the state, Made Gowda said Karnataka should suggest the name of an irrigation expert for the panel and felt the panel’s headqaurters should have been in Bengaluru.Meanwhile, many have lauded Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s decision to give water to irrigation canals, following rise in reservoir level and incessant rain in Kodagu.