Irked by Karnataka’s decision to stop release of Cauvery water, Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday decided to file a contempt petition “immediately” against its counterpart in the Supreme Court, saying its action amounted to impeding country’s federal structure.
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa chaired a review meeting with her senior cabinet colleagues and officials here to discuss the situation and directed them to file the plea. “In order to ensure that Tamil Nadu gets its due share of water, the Chief Minister has directed to file a contempt petition against Karntaka government which has unilaterally stopped releasing water, amounting to dishonouring the Supreme Court verdict,” an official release here said.
The move by Karnataka also impeded the federal structure of the country, it said. Karnataka had last night stopped release of water from the Krishna Raja Sagar dam citing depleted storage, hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made it clear only the CRA can review its order directing the state to release 9,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu.
The apex court had earlier endorsed the CRA ruling asking the upper riparian state to release 9,000 cusecs from September 20-October 15, a decision contested by both states, locked in the decades-long Cauvery dispute. Meanwhile, a day after Karnataka government stopped release of water to Tamil Nadu citing low storage in K R S reservoir, farmers here said they would continue their dharna till the CRA review its earlier directive.
“Till the CRA headed by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh give its verdict, we will continue the agitation,” former minister and leader of Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi (Committee spearheading the stir) M S Atmananda said.
Karnataka has been requesting the CRA to stay its September 19 order asking the state to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily till October 15 and keep it in abeyance till the decision was subjected to review.
The Cauvery Monitoring Committee is expected to meet in Delhi on October 11 during which the reports of the two central study teams that visited both the states are likely to be debated. Farmers claim that water was still flowing into Tamil Nadu though the Irrigation Department officials say crest gates have been shut.
“We will continue the stir for two more days and await the outcome of the Monitoring Committee,” Atmananda said.
A group of farmers also blocked Mysore-Bangalore road on Tuesday demanding early review of CRA decision. Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi President G Madegowda also continued his dharna.
Farmers would decide their future course of action after learning from the Supreme Court which had adjourned the state’s petition on the dispute to October 12.
The apex court had said its order directing Karnataka to supply 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu will not be an impediment in the Prime Minister deciding on the review plea.
Gowda had earlier demanded an announcement from the state government on stoppage of water. The water stoppage came yesterday hours after Singh made it clear only the CRA can review its order directing the state to release 9,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu.
Karnataka had said it will file a review petition on Tuesday before the Cauvery River Authority. The state has been releasing 9,000 cusecs since September 30 in compliance with the Supreme Court order to honour the CRA directive.
Farmers continue protest; wants CRA to review its order Mandya, Oct 9 (PTI) A day after Karnataka government stopped release of water to Tamil Nadu citing low storage in K R S reservoir, farmers here said they would continue their dharna till the Cauvery River Authority review its earlier directive. “Till the CRA headed by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh give its verdict, we will continue the agitation,” former minister and leader of Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi (Committee spearheading the stir) M S Atmananda told reporters at Mandya, hotbed of the Cauvery stir. Karnataka has been requesting the CRA to stay its September 19 order asking the state to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily till October 15 and keep it in abeyance till the decision was subjected to review.
The Cauvery Monitoring Committee is expected to meet in Delhi on October 11 during which the reports of the two central study teams that visited both the states are likely to be debated. Farmers claim that water was still flowing into Tamil Nadu though the Irrigation Department officials say crest gates have been shut. “We will continue the stir for two more days and await the outcome of the Monitoring Committee”, Atmananda said. A group of farmers also blocked Mysore-Bangalore road on Tuesday demanding early review of CRA decision. Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi President G Madegowda also continued his dharna.
Farmers would decide their future course of action after learning from the Supreme Court which had adjourned the state’s petition on the dispute to October 12. The apex court had said its order directing Karnataka to supply 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu will not be an impediment in the Prime Minister deciding on the review plea.
Gowda had earlier demanded an announcement from the state government on stoppage of water. The water stoppage came yesterday hours after Singh made it clear only the CRA can review its order directing the state to release 9,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu. Karnataka had said it will file a review petition on Tuesday before the Cauvery River Authority. The state has been releasing 9,000 cusecs since September 30 in compliance with the Supreme Court order to honour the CRA directive.
