Karnataka Govt urged not to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu

Belgaum: Hours after the Supreme Court ordered Karnataka to release of 10,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, Opposition parties urged the government not to do so.

"The government should take a firm stand on the issue and not release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as farmers in Karnataka are in distress," Opposition Leader in Assembly Siddaramaiah said in the House. The six-day Winter Session of the Karnataka Legislature, being held for the first time at the newly-built Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, began on Wednesday. JDS leader HD Revanna demanded that the government should move a one-line resolution in the Assembly not to release water to Tamil Nadu under any circumstances. Few other members said they were prepared to resign and go to jail on this issue, but the government should not release water. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar insisted that before passing a resolution on the issue, a meeting of floor leaders should be held. However, Siddaramaiah urged Shettar to spell out the government stand on the floor of the House. In response, Shettar said he would reply on the issue after consulting legal experts and studying the full extract of the SC order. Shettar, however, said the government explained the prevailing drought situation and water shortage for standing crops before the Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC), Cauvery River Authority (CRA) and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa when she visited Bangalore last week. Shettar said he had suggested formation of a committee consisting farmer leaders and experts to exchange information on distressing situations prevailing in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The apex court today directed Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery River to Tamil Nadu. The apex court also asked CMC to meet on December 07 or December 08 to decide the water requirement of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. PTI