Constitution of CMB will hit farmers in State: Deve Gowda

There is a need to fight legally to safeguard the interest of Karnataka

 Farmers of Karnataka will be affected with the constitution of Cauvery Management Board (CMB) to implement the final Order of the Cauvery Tribunal on sharing of Cauvery water, said former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.

Speaking to mediapersons during his visit to Harangi reservoir here on Tuesday, he said “if the Board is constituted, then the officials will have to release water to Tamil Nadu as per its direction.

The people and farmers of the state who are solely dependent on the river for irrigation purpose will be hit hard.” The final verdict has reduced Cauvery river irrigated area from 24 lakh hectare to 18 lakh hectare.

It has directed the authorities to depend on ground water for drinking purpose. If the      final verdict is implemented, then it will affect farmers from nine districts and 28 taluks who depend on river Cauvery. At the same time, Bangalore will face acute shortage of drinking water, Gowda said.

“Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha has already approached the Supreme Court, for a direction to the Ministry of Water Resources to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to effectively implement the final Order of the Cauvery Tribunal.

What measures the state leaders the state leaders have taken to check the constitution of the board. Jayalalitha has already said that AIADMK will win 40 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Keeping an eye on it, both the national parties have been silent on the interest of the State,” he said.

Gowda said “Jayalalitha had recently accused that Cauvery water is being stored illegally in Harangi and Hemavathi reservoir. To verify the truth, I have visited Harangi, Hemavathi and KRS reservoir.”

“On the issue of sharing of Cauvery water, we had gone beyond legal obligations during S Bangarappa and S M Krishna’s reign. It had brought bad name to the state. Now, we have to fight legally.”

“I have visited Harangi reservoir as a MP and an elected represenative. I will have to inform the Centre on the condition at Cauvery basin. I have not come for election campaign,” he said.