New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Mar 9, 2004) refused to interfere with the compensation awarded by the Cauvery Rights Relief Authority (CRRA) and directed the Karnataka Government to pay the same to the victims within six months.

The Authority had examined cases pertaining to the December 1991 riots that took place in Karnataka as a result of the dispute of water sharing between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The apex court in April 1999 had directed the Karnataka Government to constitute CRRA comprising three retired district judges to go into the claims of the victims.

It was alleged that following a directive for release of the Cauvery water in December 1991, the State Government had allegedly called for a Statewide bandh resulting in violence against Tamils residing in the State. This violence had spread to Tamil Nadu and was directed against Kanndigas residing in the border districts.

Immediately after the riots, the Tamil Nadu Government had claimed that properties worth Rs 300 crore belonging to Tamils in Karnataka were damaged in the riots. The petitioners had also claimed a similar amount before the CRRA.

However, the then Home Minister of Karnataka had estimated the loss of property to the tune of Rs 47.28 crores.

The CRRA decided a total of 9669 claims applications and awarded a compensation of Rs 2.34 crores.