SC to examine Cauvery monitoring panel report

A bench of justices D K Jain and Madan Lokur adjourned till October 19 hearing on the inter-State water dispute to enable Tamil Nadu to place on record the reported directive of the CMC on the issue.

The bench also did not approve Karnataka's argument that it was cumulatively releasing water over a period of time as against the apex court's directive of releasing 9,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu.

"You are releasing 3,000 cusecs on some days. On other days you are releasing more water. It may have lot of repercussions. Some areas may even be flooded. We do not know," the bench told senior counsel Fali Nariman appearing for Karnataka.

The court made the observation in response to Nariman's submission that despite its own distress situation the State was complying with the directive for releasing 9,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu though it was done on a staggered basis.

The bench also dismissed a petition filed by a group of farmers from Karnataka seeking stay of its September 29 order directing release of 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

On October 11, the CRA passed the directive for release of 8.85 tmc on the basis of the findings of a central team that visited Karnataka and Tamil Nadu last week.

Karnataka, however, maintained that it would not accept the award.

At the last hearing, the court had observed that agitations do not not serve any purpose and its order directing Karnataka to supply 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu will not be an impediment to any decision by Prime Minister on the review petition filed before the Cauvery River Authority.(more)PTI RB

GSN