State to file plea in SC on move to form Cauvery Board

 Karnataka is planning to file a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking its direction to restrain the Centre from constituting the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) to implement the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

“The State government is examining the Karnataka legal team's suggestion to file a petition in the Apex Court to prevent the Ministry of Water Resources from going ahead with setting up the Board,” sources told Deccan Herald.

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who held a meeting with Karnataka MPs to discuss the future course of action on the Cauvery issue here on Wednesday, sought the co-operation of the State’s leaders in New Delhi in preventing the constitution of the CMB.    

Noting that constituting the CMB would be a major blow to the State, Shettar said, instead of a body of officials, the Centre should constitute a committee headed by the prime minister with representations from all Cauvery basin states. The chief minister also met the State’s legal team on the Cauvery issue, headed by Fali S Nariman, and held a detailed discussion over the matter.

Speaking to reporters, Shettar said leaders from the State in New Delhi should exert pressure on the Centre not to constitute the CMB.