New Delhi/Bangalore: Amid demands by leaders from Karnataka to review the Cauvery River Authority`s decision of asking the state to release 9,000 cusecs of water for Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting of political leaders from the state on Monday.
Leaders from Karnataka, including External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, Power Minister Veerappa Moily and BJP leader Ananth Kumar besides Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal are likely to meet the Prime Minister in Delhi for consultations on the contentious water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The consultations come ahead of the Cauvery monitoring committee meeting slated on October 11. The monitoring panel will decide release of water from Karnataka after October 15.
The Cauvery River Authority had last month directed Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs of water to its neighbouring state on a daily basis between September 20 and October 15.
Amid a raging water-sharing dispute between the two southern states, a central team is already visiting the two states to see water level in reservoirs, the condition of standing crops and water flow. This visit will help the Cauvery Monitoring Committee to take a call on the issue.
Tamil Nadu had demanded release of 24,000 cusecs of water, while the Supreme Court had asked Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs. The CRA, after hearing the views of both the states, awarded release of 9,000 cusecs.
CMC comprises officials of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Pudducherry, besides central representatives.
Meanwhile, intense protests over release of water to Tamil Nadu continued to sweep Cauvery river basin areas for the eighth day as Karnataka hoped for a "positive response" from the Supreme Court tomorrow on its plea for reconsideration of the September 28 order.
"I am optimistic of a good (favourable) verdict (for Karnataka)", Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar told reporters during his visits to Hubli-Dharwad and Belgaum in north Karnataka today.
PTI
