Cauvery row: Congress calls on Karnataka govt to prove no water available for release

New Delhi: The Congress party said on Saturday that the Karnataka government needs to prove to the court that there is no intentional disobedience involved in not releasing waters of the Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu, as the quantity of water available is not sufficient.

After the Karnataka state assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Friday to only release water to meet the basic needs of people living in Bengaluru and those icinity of the Cauvery Basin, Congress leader and senior advocate KTS Tulsi said, "The Government of Karnataka can't produce water if there is any, and therefore, they will have to convince the court there is no intentional disobedience, but these are circumstances that are beyond their control.

"Defending the resolution passed by the Karnataka state assembly, Tulsi said, "According to the information that has been given to the legislative assembly, only 27,000 metric tons of water is available for meeting the drinking needs of Bangalore, Mysore and other places in the Cauvery Basin and all reservoirs taken together, only 27.6 pmc is available. So, if the water is just not there, how will they release it, how can there be contempt?"

The Cauvery Supervisory Committee had on September 19 asked Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs per day from September 21 to 30, but the apex court had on September 20 doubled the quantum to 6,000 cusecs from September 21 to 27 after Tamil Nadu pressed for water to save its Samba paddy crop.

The Supreme Court had also directed the Centre to constitute within four weeks the Cauvery Water Management Board as directed by Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in its award.

Backed by an all party mandate, the state cabinet had on Tuesday decided to defer the release of water to Tamil Nadu and convene a day's legislature session to discuss possible outcomes related to the escalating row between the two neighbouring states.