JOIN USGovt files review plea before CRA
The State government has filed a petition before the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) seeking review of its September 19 ruling directing Karnataka to release 9,000 cusec of water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Addressing a press meet after a meeting with floor leaders of political parties in the legislature and senior advocates here on Friday, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said the petition also sought to keep the CRA decision in abeyance till the time it was reviewed and set aside.
“We faxed the review petition to the Prime Minister’s Office last night. The petition was submitted in person to the PMO today,” Shettar said. The chief minister said the government has also requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to depute a team of experts to take stock of ground realities in the Cauvery basin, which is facing one of the worst drought in 40 years.
The CRA meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on Wednesday had asked Karnataka to release 9,000 cusec every day between September 20 and October 15 to Tamil Nadu.
In its review petition, the government has questioned the very premise of the CRA decision that “Karnataka was in a position to sow 74.7 per cent of the normal agricultural area, while Tamil Nadu could sow only 33.3 per cent of its normal agricultural area.” The petition points out that distress situation in the Cauvery basin is assessed with reference to inflows in the rivers and not by reference to rainfall.
Shettar said the government was committed to protect the interest of farmers and would continue the legal battle on the issue. “We are also preparing to fight the matter if Tamil Nadu approaches the Supreme Court,” he added. The chief minister said despite being explained the severe gravity of drought in 49 taluks in the Cauvery basin and water requirement for standing crops and potable purposes, the prime minister had directed Karnataka to release water. “With due respect to the chair and also to protect the interest of people of the State, we had to walk out of the meeting” Shettar said.
Support from Opposition
Opposition parties said they extend their full support to the State government. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said the present storage of 76 tmc ft in reservoirs in Cauvery basin was barely sufficient to meet the drinking water needs and protect the standing crops in the state.
“We are in a helpless situation and not in a position to release water to Tamil Nadu. We are confident that the CRA will accept the review petition and take the ground realities into consideration,” Siddaramaiah said. Congress leader S R Patil said farmers in the State were ready to shed “9000 cusec of their blood” but would not allow release of water.
JD(S) leader H D Revanna, echoing Shettar and Siddaramaiah’s views, said Tamil Nadu had sufficient water to maintain its paddy crop.
Meanwhile, Raitha Sangha leader K S Puttannaiah told reporters in Mysore that a petition will be filed in the Supreme Court against the direction of the Authority.