NEW DELHI: With pressure mounting from the Supreme Court, Karnataka finally decided to release water for farmers, after ensuring the drinking water needs are met. A resolution to this effect was passed by both Houses of the State Assembly on Monday. Though it made no mention of Tamil Nadu, the resolution drops clear hints of releasing water to the neighbouring State.
Earlier, on September 23, Karnataka had passed a resolution saying the Cauvery could be used only to meet the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and other towns in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka. The new resolution helps Karnataka comply with the Supreme Court order to release 6,000 cusecs of water for six days to Tamil Nadu. Replying to a debate on the resolution in the Assembly, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clearly conveyed the government’s intention to comply with the Supreme Court order. “The Special Leave Petition of Karnataka challenging the final award of Cauvery Tribunal is coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court on October 18. That is the main battle, which we have to win if we want to protect the future of our farmers. To win the main battle, a few conciliatory gestures are needed in the ongoing mini-battle” he said.
The Supreme Court, earlier in the day, sought a report from Karnataka by Tuesday afternoon on compliance of its September 30 order to release of 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu from October 1 to 6. On this, the counsel appearing for Tamil Nadu said, “Karnataka has not obeyed any order and no water has been released.”
Meanwhile, in a complete turn of events, the Union government told the Supreme court that the setting up of the Cauvery Water Management Board falls under the domain of the Executive and the court has no jurisdiction to issue any direction to the government. The court will hear the plea in detail on Tuesday. Earlier, on September 30, the Centre had agreed to the court’s direction to form the Board.
“The constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board requires the consent of both houses of Parliament and it cannot be formed on the orders of the apex court,” Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi argued. Citing examples of how other water boards were constituted, the Centre said that “the setting up of the board is part of legislative exercise.”