Water release: HC tells state govt to get inputs from M'rashtra

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the state government to be in touch with the officials of government of Maharashtra calling upon them to immediately give information on release of water from the reservoirs.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice M Nagaprasanna passed the direction on a PIL filed by A Mallikarjuna.

During the hearing, the petitioner stated that the Maharashtra has been receiving torrential rains in the last few weeks and there was all likelihood of release of water this year. The bench observed that none of the documents submitted by the central and the state government throw any light on the mechanism that directs immediate intimation to the neighbouring states about the release of water.

"We therefore issue directions to the Central Government to ensure that appropriate directions are issued by the National Executive Committee to intimate the states under Section 10 of the act (Disaster Management Act). Till the directions issued by the National Executive Committee, it is necessary that officers of the government of Karnataka to be in touch with the Chief Secretary or the officials of Maharashtra calling upon them to immediately give information on the decision taken to release water from the reservoirs or dams from the state of Maharashtra,’’ the bench directed.