Tamuk Nadu to haul Karnataka for SC contempt over water

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa Friday announced that the state government would soon approach the Supreme Court with a contempt of court petition against Karnataka and another petition to direct the central government to set up Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).

Jayalalithaa also announced sops for the state's farmers like fertilisers, pesticides and pipes free of cost involving an outlay of around Rs.18 crore and power for 12 hours so that around 100,000 acres can come under Kuruvai/short term paddy crop.

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa after reviewing the water position in the Mettur dam for the Kuruvai crop cultivation, said: "On May 10 when Tamil Nadu's petition for the setting up of CMD came up for hearing in the Supreme Court, Karnataka suggested to set up Cauvery Supervisory Committee as a temporary measure. The court also accordingly ordered (it)."

She said at the meeting of the Cauvery Supervisory Committee June 12, Karnataka said the committee was not properly constituted and hence it cannot take any decision.

Jayalalithaa said Karnataka's stance only proves that it is not inclined to share any water with Tamil Nadu, and contended that the claim that committee set up at its request by the Supreme Court has no powers to decide is nothing but contempt of court.

She said as the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) has been notified by the central government in the official gazette, a petition will be filed in the Supreme Court to direct the central government to set up CMD and CWRC.

She said the current water level in Mettur dam is only 3.45 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet and the inflow is only 60 cusecs (cubic feet of water per second) and it is not possible to release water.