Karnataka to move SC over Cauvery dispute

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Saturday said the State government will move the Supreme Court over utilisation of Cauvery water and asserted that no injustice would be done to farmers in the Cauvery basin.

The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday had approached the apex court seeking a direction to the Karnataka government not to utilise more than the allocated share of Cauvery water from its four reservoirs.

In an interim application, the Tamil Nadu government had sought a restraint order against the Karnataka government from summer irrigation, as “indiscriminate use of natural resources” by the upper riparian State would adversely affect its agro-based economy.

“Tamil Nadu has been raising the water-sharing issue frequently. We will take the matter seriously and deal with it legally. The interest of the farmers in Cauvery basin would be protected,” Gowda told reporters in Bangalore.

Gowda said all the riparian states have to honour the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal order and also the distress formula given by it.

The Opposition Congress has demanded that the State government should immediately convene an all-party meeting to debate the issue. 

It has been five years since the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal pronounced its final award, but it still remains a bone of contention between the riparian states. Both states have approached the Supreme Court seeking a review of the final award. As per the final award, Tamil Nadu’s share to be released by Karnataka at the Billigundulu gauging station is 182 tmcft in addition to 10 tmcft for environmental purposes in a year. Of the 192 tmcft, Tamil Nadu would release seven tmcft to Puducherry.

Central grants

Replying to another query, Gowda said he would visit New Delhi to discuss release of Central grants for drought-hit taluks in the State soon after the conclusion of the budget session of the legislature.