The Maharashtra government informed the Supreme Court today that it has released 1,000 cusecs of water from Bheema river to Karnataka, though it has to supply water in tankers to its own people on the border area.
The government was replying to a contempt of court petition alleging that it had refused to release water according to the May 2 order.
The court, on a petition by an organisation called Bheema Nadi Neeru Rakshana, had directed the implementation of an interim agreement of March 28 between representatives of Maharashtra, Karnataka and the Central Water Commission for supply of water to Karnataka.
However, the Maharashtra government on April 9 wrote a letter to the commission stating that it had not agreed to supply water. The organisation then moved the Supreme Court.
It directed the state government to release 200 cusecs of water every day, brushing aside the objection of the Maharashtra government to provide drinking water to 134 villages in Karnataka.
The state government, faced with a contempt of court petition, said that it had already released water on May 3 but since it had to travel 215 km from the Ujjaini reservoir, it had not yet reached Takhli and other parched villages.
It also objected to the hasty action by the organisation moving the contempt petition and making the state water resources minister and chief secretary as parties in the case.
The bench consisting of Justice Santosh Hegde and Justice Shivaraj Patil posted further hearing of the contempt petition on June 16 to allow Maharashtra to implement the court order.
Attorney General Soli Sorabjee had earlier told the court that the Central government was considering setting up of a river water disputes tribunal but till that was set up, the interim measure should be implemented as the villages are thirsting for water and it was a matter involving right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the constitution.
