TN to file contempt plea against Karnataka over Cauvery issue

Upping the ante against Karnataka for its refusal to release Cauvery water, Tamil Nadu today decided to file a contempt petition in Supreme Court besides seeking a direction for setting up two regulatory bodies to implement the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal's final award.

Slamming the stand of Karnataka that the Supervisory Committee on Cauvery was not properly formed and it cannot take any decisions, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said, "this amounts to contempt of court".

The decision to approach the apex court on the vexed issue was taken at a review meeting chaired by Jayalaithaa, two-days after the newly appointed Supervisory Committee under the Union Water Resources Ministry, rejected the state's demand for release of water from Karnataka.

Jayalalithaa in a statement here said, her government would also file another petition in the Supreme Court praying for immediate appointment of Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) in compliance of the final award of the tribunal.

"The Supervisory Committee on Cauvery water sharing issue was formed after Karnataka consented to it. But, the neighbouring State is now adopting a stand that it is not properly formed and it cannot take decisions. This clearly demonstrates that Karnataka is not interested in sharing water with Tamil Nadu", Jayalalithaa charged.
The Cauvery Supervisory Committee headed by Union Water Resources Secretary S K Das, at its June 12 meeting, rejected Tamil Nadu's demand for its share of water saying it was not feasible, given the deficit inflows and storage level in reservoirs in Karnataka.

The Committee, however, had promised Tamil Nadu that it would review the situation during the first week of July, which was not acceptable to the state.

Jayalalithaa assured the Cauvery basin farmers in her state that her government will take "strong" steps to get water from Karnataka for the short-term 'kuruvai' paddy crop.
The Mettur Dam, lifeline of Cauvery delta farmers, could not be opened on the traditional date of June 12 for Kuruvai season in view of poor storage.