Karnataka to file appeal in top court on Aug 21 over release of Cauvery water

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Cabinet directed the Advocate General to file the state's appeal before the Supreme Court on August 21 regarding the release of Cauvery River water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Earlier this week, Tamil Nadu had approached the Supreme Court with a plea to direct Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for standing crops.

Karnataka has been maintaining that it will be able to release water to Tamil Nadu taking into account its needs like drinking water and standing crops in the Cauvery basin areas citing scarcity due to deficit monsoon rains.

"The Advocate General was invited to today's cabinet. He has been directed to file the state's appeal before the Supreme Court on Monday," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said.

Briefing reporters about the Cabinet decisions, Patil said, "He (AG) has been asked to file an appeal with all the detailed information based on the existing situation.".

Not willing to share any details, the minister in response to a question said, "As we are filing an appeal before the Supreme Court, I don't want to indulge in any discussion, as the court should not say you have told the press and you are coming before us.".

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also in charge of the Water Resources department, following Tamil Nadu approaching the SC, had on Tuesday said Karnataka would release 10 tmc ft of water from the Cauvery basin to the neighbouring State, while maintaining that the state doesn't have sufficient water in dams to meet its requirements like drinking water and agriculture due to deficit monsoon.

On Friday, he said the Karnataka government has written to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) requesting it to review the order directing the state to release 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu on a daily basis for the next 15 days.

Responding to a question on the opposition BJP calling for 'Mandya bandh' next week in protest against the release of water to Tamil Nadu, Patil said: "The Chief Minister has already expressed his intention to call an all-party meeting to discuss Cauvery issues. As the all-party meeting will be happening, there is no need for any protest or agitation. I request everyone to maintain peace as there will be an opportunity to discuss (the issue) at the meeting.".

The date of the all-party meeting will be announced soon, he said.