Distress formula will be followed if there is no water:K'TAKA

With the Cauvery Water Management Authority asking Karnataka to release 9.19 thousand million cubic water to the lowerriparian states for June, the State government Tuesday said "distress formula" will be followed ifthere is no water and less inflow.

Water Resource Minister D KShivakumar told reporters here the CWMA's decision was discussed with officials and the matter was also being examined legally.

"..we will respect the court decision, there is no doubt about it. But keeping the rainsand inflow in mind we will take necessary action.

If there isno water or there is less inflow we don't have option, we willhave to go by distress formula," Water Resource Minister D K Shivakumar told reporters here.

"We have informed our facts, we expect inflow this year as rains are beginning, in between there was a worry, now it (rains) has gradually started. If that happens we will abide by the order.

If there is no water, then we will have to follow distressformula," he said.

The decision to release the water was taken by the CWMA which was attended by the representatives of the Centre and the riparian states -- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry.

"The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has taken a decision for the release of 9.19 TMC of water by Karnataka at the Biligundlu site for June this year," S Masood Husain, the chairman of the CWMA, said.

Shivakumar said, "if there is an emergency and if we are unable to take certain decisions due to issues, then we will call an all party meeting."