Establish Cauvery management board if it benefits K'taka: Gowda

JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda today demanded that the Centre establish the Cauvery Water Management Board (CMB) if it ensures increased share of water to Karnataka.
On February 16, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had directed to form the CMB within six weeks in a verdict that marginally increased Karnatakas share of Cauvery water, thus reducing allocation for Tamil Nadu and settling the protracted water dispute between the two southern states.
Gowda, former prime minster, called on Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari and discussed about the issue in detail.
"I have requested Gadkariji to set up CMB after taking into account issues related to lift irrigation, Makedatu project and trans-basin diversion of water among others," Gowda told reporters after the meeting.

He also informed the government that CMB should be set up if it benefits Karnataka and ensures 30-35 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water.
As per the apex court's order, the share of Cauvery water for Karnataka has been raised by 14.75 tmcft. It reduced Tamil Nadu's share while compensating it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin, saying the issue of drinking water has to be placed on a "higher pedestal".
By virtue of the SC verdict, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry would be annually entitled to 404.25 tmcft, 284.75 tmcft, 30 tmcft and 7 tmcft of Cauvery water, respectively out of a total of 740 tmcft.

Besides this, 10 tmcft of water would be used for environment protection and 4 tmcft would be kept for inevitable escapades into the sea.