Cauvery board not on cards, Modi tells State leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday informed an all-party delegation from Karnataka that there is no proposal at present before the Centre to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB).

When a delegation led by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met the prime minister here at his Parliament office, Modi reportedly said that the NDA government has never taken any decision to set up the CMB and that wrong information has  appeared in the media. 

“As there is no such proposal before the Centre, why is there such panic on the issue,” he is learnt to have said.

“Though there is no need for this delegation, I am hearing your views as it is my duty to do so,” Modi reportedly said.

In his memorandum, Siddaramaiah said that before taking any decision on constituting the CMB, the Centre must wait for the Supreme Court verdict as the civil appeals on this issue are pending before the court.

Emerging out of the meeting, the chief minister told reporters that “the prime minister gave a patient hearing and promised that the Centre will not take any hasty decision on this issue.”

The delegation comprised Union Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar, Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members from Karnataka and leaders from different political parties. 

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah held a breakfast meeting with state MPs, which was also attended by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, and sought their support on the issue.

While Tamil Nadu demanded setting up of the CMB as per the Cauvery Dispute Tribunal verdict, Karnataka opposed this saying that the existing system of Cauvery Supervisory Committee headed by Union Water Resources Board is sufficient to monitor release of water by the upper riparian state. 

Issue of setting up the board, which will have power to control and regulate release of water from all reservoirs in the Cauvery basin, is pending before the Supreme Court.