Karna CM says courts cannot resolve Cauvery dispute permanently, pushes for talks

Facing a fresh bout of litigation by Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery issue, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Tuesday said the decades old dispute "is not going to be solved permanently" by the judiciary and pitched for talks between the two states.

Striking a note of cordiality, he said Kannadigas and Tamils were not enemies and the inter-state river water should be shared accordingly at times of copious inflows and distress situation.

Kumaraswamy's push for talks, the second time since last week, came amid the fresh face-off between the two states over Karnataka's proposal to construct a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu across Cauvery. Tamil Nadu is opposing the move, insisting such a dam will affects its farmers.

Tamil Nadu has already approached the Supreme Court over the Mekedatu issue while hinting that it was not in favour of Karnataka's proposal to hold consultations on the row, which came to fore after the Centre gave its approval for a Detailed Project Report.

The state assembly has passed a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the nod for the DPR and ensure that no new construction was taken up by Karnataka, saying any such move would violate the Supreme Court's February verdict and the Cauvery water dispute tribunal's final order on sharing of the river waters.

Speaking to reporters here after offering prayers at the famous Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, Kumaraswamy said Kannadigas and Tamils were "like brothers and sisters."
Cauvery water should be shared accordingly at times of copious rains and a mechanism should be put in place for distress periods too as this was in the interest of both the states and their farmers, he said, adding, this was his "personal vision."
Asserting that Tamil Nadu would not be effected by the project and would get its "due share" as per the apex court verdict, he said "I don't know why they are raising their voice."