BENGALURU: The state government will file applications before the Supreme Court and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) soon stating that Karnataka is not in a position to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
This decision of the government comes in the wake of CWRC’s order on Tuesday to release water to TN.
“There are two options before us -- to file an appeal before CWRC, and to approach the SC as we do not have enough water in our reservoirs,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday.
After holding an all-party emergency meeting at Vidhana Soudha on the CWRC’s order, Siddaramaiah said, “After consulting the state’s legal team on filing applications before the CWRC and the SC, we will seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet an all-party delegation from the state soon.”
He said the emergency all-party meeting passed a resolution to protect the interests of the state with regard to release of Cauvery water to TN. The state should have released 99 tmcft of water, but could release only 37.7 tmcft till September 11. The four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin of the state now have only 53 tmcft of water, he said.
“The state needs 70 tmcft of water to save its standing crops, 33 tmcft for drinking purpose and 3 tmcft for use by industries. We can’t release water to TN jeopardising the interests of our people, especially farmers,” he said.
The CM said that he will lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi to meet the union ministers, including those from the state, and discuss the issue with them as the special session of the Lok Sabha will be held from September18.
Distress formula should be prepared: Shivakumar
On a suggestion that he could directly speak to TN Chief Minister MK Stalin, Siddaramaiah clarified that it will not help resolve the dispute unless the CWRC and the SC take a decision and the PM intervenes.
The state received the lowest rainfall so far this year when compared to what it had received during the same period in the last 123 years. Hence, the emergency meeting discussed the legal and political actions to be taken and to seek the help of the Centre to resolve the dispute, he said.
Siddaramaiah said Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar will hold talks with Union Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhwat on the situation faced by Karnataka on the sidelines of the all states’ water resources ministers’ meeting to be held at Jaipur in Rajasthan on Thursday.
Shivakumar too confirmed that he will meet Shekhwat. A distress formula should be prepared. All MPs from the state should pressure the Centre to protect the state’s interests with regard to release of water to TN. “We should work together to safeguard the state’s interests by setting aside our political differences,” he said.
CABINET PANEL FOR DECLARING 195 TALUKS AS DROUGHT-HIT
The cabinet sub-committee on natural calamities on Wednesday recommended announcing 195 drought-hit taluks in the state out of a total of 237. Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda said this was however not the final list and they would continue surveys.
Ask CWMA to consider our plea: Siddu to Shekhawat
CM Siddaramaiah has written to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to ask the Cauvery Water Management Authority to consider the pleadings of Karnataka and to review the decision of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.