Cauvery notification will greatly affect state's interests: Congress

The opposition Congress and JD(S) on Tuesday made a forceful plea in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly against notification of the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award, underlining that the move would amount to grave injustice to the state’s interests.

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said a meeting of the floor leaders of the Karnataka legislature would be convened tomorrow to discuss the issue and spell out the state’s stand clearly. The Supreme Court yesterday directed the Centre to notify the award by February 20. It also directed Karnataka to release two tmc ft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu but did not issue any timeframe for the same.

Raising the issue in the Assembly, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah referred to the Supreme Court order in which it was mentioned that Karnataka had expressly stated that it had no objections to its notification, and demanded that the government clarify its stand on the issue.

“Why this sudden change in the Government stand?” he asked, calling for a detailed debate on the issue. In the past five years, Karnataka had expressed its reservations on the notification contending that a civil appeal is pending before the Supreme Court, which needs to be first disposed of.

Also, the state has maintained consistently that the award had done “injustice” to the state. Water Resources Minister Basavaraja Bommai said there is no change in the state government stand.

He and Shettar said government would make a detailed statement in the House. JD(S) leader H D Revanna said it would not be wrong to say, the notification is a “mortal blow” to Karnataka, adding, legislators irrespective of party affiliations should resign as a mark of protest, if the Centre goes ahead with it.

The Chief Minister said Government has been safeguarding the interests of the State and would continue to do so.

Siddaramaiah also said the State should impress upon the Supreme Court that releasing 2 tmc ft to Tamil Nadu would not be possible as the drinking water shortage is already severe in the State.