Karnataka CM, DCM meet officials in Delhi, discuss Cauvery dispute
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said the government will seek a stay on the CWMA order in Supreme Court regarding the Cauvery dispute.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Wednesday held an important meeting in national capital Delhi with union ministers and all-party MPs regarding the ongoing Cauvery river water sharing dispute with neighbouring state Tamil Nadu, and announced that they will seek a stay on the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order in the Supreme Court.
The order had earlier directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu, however, officials maintained that there was “no water” to release.
In this regard, CM Siddaramaiah said, “We seek a stay on the CWMA order in the Supreme Court. We will appeal to the Supreme Court for an injunction against the CWMA order to release water to Tamil Nadu. We competently presented our actual situation before CWMA.”
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He also said that the state has observed its lowest August rainfall in 123 years, which has caused increased distress. “We have no drinking water, no water for crop protection, no water for industry. So we are in a lot of trouble,” he said, while speaking to news agency ANI.
Siddaramaiah added that the Prime Minister should intervene in the matter as he has the jurisdiction to summon the people of both states.
"PM has the jurisdiction to summon the people of both the states. So we have appealed to the Prime Minister for his intervention. Further decisions will be taken after meeting with the Union Water Resources Minister. We have already identified 195 talukas in the state as drought-prone. There has been the lowest rainfall recorded in August in 123 years which causes increased distress in the state,” he stated.
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Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also echoed the sentiments, saying, "We are facing a very distressed situation. We are only able to have one-third of the water. CWMA has ordered us to give 5000 cusecs of water for 15 days, we don't even have water for drinking. We have discussed (this) with all of the Parliament members, who assured us that they are going to support our fight. We are pressing it before the Supreme Court to give us justice. I hope justice will be given to us.”
(With inputs from ANI)
