Shimoga: Karnataka Government should oppose Tamil Nadu's demand for release of Cauvery water when the farmers of Cauvery basin in the state were suffering from shortage of water during summer, former Chief Minister and JD(S) president H D Kumaraswamy said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters here, he said Tamil Nadu raking up
the water issue particularly during summer seems to be
"ridiculous and meaningless".
Tamil Nadu government is raising the water sharing issue
for "political gain and creating tension among farmers of
Karnataka", Kumaraswamy said, adding, he would press the state
not to budge or yield to the demand at any cost and take up
awareness and confidence building activities among farmers in
the basin.
Tamil Nadu has filed an application in the Supreme Court
seeking to restrain Karnataka from resorting to summer
irrigation.
The two states are locked in decades-long dispute on
sharing waters of the river and the Cauvery Water Disputes
Tribunal, set up by the Centre, had in 2007 given its final
award, allocating 419 tmcft water to Tamil Nadu and 270 tmcft
to Karnataka annually.
However, Karnataka has challenged the award in the apex
court, alleging it gave a raw deal to the state overlooking
its requirements and rights.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, March 25, 2012, 17:45