Bangalore: A day after the Supreme Court directed Karnataka to release 9,000 CUSECS
of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu, the state on October 5 stuck to its position that
it could not spare water from its reservoirs and sought convening of an emergent
meeting of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA).
Endorsing the stand of Chief Minister S M Krishna, the state Cabinet at an emergent
meeting noted, "question of any releases from the reservoirs of Karnataka may not
arise for consideration as disclosed in the affidavit filed before the Supreme Court
on October 3".
Briefing reporters, Information Minister Kagodu Thimappa read out the statement made
by Krishna in New Delhi on October 4 after the Apex Court decision, and said the
Cabinet had endorsed it. "Nothing to add. More or less."
Asked about repercussions of the state stand, which was not in line with the Supreme
Court directive, he said, "We will take stock of the situation (later)." He however
dismissed suggestions that there would be a Constitutional crisis, saying, "We have
a bonafide grievance. If he had water and not released it, then, it is a different
question."
Apparently looking to the CRA of which Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is the
chairman, to bail out the state Krishna dashed off letter to him seeking convening
of the Authority meeting. "We are ready to attend the CRA meeting even if it is
convened tomorrow," Thimappa said.
Noting that the Supreme Court had directed release of 9000 CUSECS of water
into Mettur daily on weekly average, the statement also pointed out that the
court had also clarified that if the CRA passed any new order, the same
would operate in place of the one on 9000 CUSECS a day.
Biligundlu, the Central Water Commission gauging station, has been reporting
an inflow of 5000 CUSECS of water a day. Between Biligundlu and Mettur
reservoir, the lower catchment area of 5535 sq km should yield 1825 cusecs a
day. Thus the total water which should be reaching Mettur reservoir, at
present, is 6825 cusecs, it said.
"We hope that rains in the Intermediate catchment and lower catchment would
improve and 9000 CUSECS as directed by the Supreme Court and CRA would be
available in Mettur reservoir," the Cabinet said.
The Cabinet also noted that the history of flows in the last 11 years shows
that the intermediate and lower catchments together have generated a minimum
of 32.4 TMC of water, equivalent to 11880 cusecs per day in the month of
October.
Thimappa said the state's case had also been strengthened by the fact that
the Cauvery Monitoring Committee, which visited reservoirs in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu, had taken note of the difficulties faced by the state.
He said the cabinet appealed to farmers to drop their stir against water
release as the government itself had been espousing their cause.
An all-party meeting would be held in the evening, when Krishna is expected
to explain the government's position to Opposition leaders and seek their
support for it.
PTI
