MYSURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that Tamil Nadu’s fresh plea before the Supreme Court appealing to direct the Cauvery Water Management Authority not to discuss Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir and drinking water project at the Authority meeting on June 17 will not stand up to scrutiny.
He said that Tamil Nadu has submitted a miscellaneous application in the Supreme Court and Karnataka will reply if a notice is served. “We will reply to it promptly. Tamil Nadu has no jurisdiction to direct the government of India on what to do or what not to do,” he added.
The Cauvery Water Management Authority is a Supreme Court-ordered boy and it has powers to see whether the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s orders are followed, he said. The Authority has already held 16 meetings with Mekedatu on the agenda, he said, and felt that Tamil Nadu’s objection will not stand scrutiny. Tamil Nadu has tried to argue that issues concerning the Mekedatu project are beyond the Jurisdiction of the Cauvery Water Management Authority.
Asked about JDS coming out with a fresh offer to exchange second-preference votes with Congress in the Rajya Sabha polls, Bommai said there is no such offer from BJP and the understanding is between JDS and Congress. He said that BJP has sufficient votes to win the third seat in the Rajya Sabha polls.On the delay in the appointment of Lokayukta, he said the government has almost completed the process and there will be no further delay.