Cong, JD(S) to take Cauvery Board issue to Parliament

A meeting of Congress and JD(S) leaders on Wednesday decided that MPs from Karnataka will raise in Parliament the issue of constituting the Cauvery Water Management Board. 

The meeting had been convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to discuss the state’s next step of action following the Supreme Court directive to Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu every day till September 27. The court, in its September 20 order, had also directed the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board.

The meeting felt constitution of the board would be detrimental to the state.  Once the board is constituted, Karnataka will lose supervisory control over the four Cauvery basin reservoirs — KRS,  Hemavathi, Kabini and Harangi — as they will come under the direct charge of the Central Water Commission. 

The decision to constitute the board has been challenged by Karnataka before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court. On September 20, a two-judge bench of the court directed the setting up of the board, even as the matter is pending before a higher bench. The parties felt that the government should question the direction.  Sources said JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda said he would again meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek his intervention in the issue. Gowda suggested that the state should consider providing compensation to farmers in Cauvery basin who have lost their crops. 

Siddaramaiah said he would speak to BJP leaders B S Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar, to request them to ensure the attendance of BJP members at the special legislature session on September 23.