'Central policy needed on water-sharing issue'

MLC Ivan D’Souza said that the Central government should evolve a central water policy to guide the states on sharing of river water.

Absence of such policy will only aggravate the inter-state water disputes in future, said D’Souza, who is also Chief Whip of the Government in the Legislative Council.

Speaking to mediapersons on Wednesday, he said that a central water policy is the need of the hour to solve disputes over sharing river water among states.

“The verdict of the Supreme Court has caused a severe blow to the people of the state.

Violation of the law or resorting to violent acts are, however, not the means for a rightful solution. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the state Cabinet’s decision to obey the Supreme Court’s order to release water to Tamil Nadu has upheld the Constitution of India. In a federal system, it is difficult to violate or reject the order of the Supreme Court for a government,” he explained.

Supply to other districts
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, at the same time, has assured that the state government will take all steps necessary to provide drinking water to Bengaluru Rural, Mysuru and Mandya districts,” Ivan pointed out.

Advocating the need for the Prime Minister to intervene in the Cauvery water issue, the Chief Whip said that a central water policy is essential at a time when neighbouring states of Goa and Andhra Pradesh are pressurising Karnataka to release water from Mahadayi and Tungabhadra. “Andhra Pradesh, which is supposed to get 50 tmc feet of water in December, has already started pressing for the same in spite of knowing the water condition of Karnataka,” he said.