'Want SC To Stay Cauvery Authority Order': Siddaramaiah Wants PM's Intervention Amid Row With TN

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar held a meeting in Delhi regarding the Cauvery River water sharing issue.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

Source : PTI

After the meeting with union ministers and all-party MPs on the Cauvery Water issue, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that they seek to stay on the CWMA order in the Supreme Court and that they will appeal the same too. 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 the CWMA. There has been the lowest rainfall recorded in August in 123 years which causes increased distress in the state. We have no drinking water, no water for crop protection, no water for industry. So we are in a lot of trouble," as quoted by news agency ANI.

Siddaramaiah also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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," Siddaramaiah said.

A meeting chaired by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with Union Ministers and All-Party MPs from Karnataka to discuss the Cauvery water-sharing dispute was convened in the national capital today. The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Union Ministers Prahlad Joshi, Shobha Karandlaje, Bhagwant Khooba, Narayanaswamy, Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Supreme Court lawyers representing Karnataka. 

The meeting came after the Cauvery Water Management Authority ordered Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water for the next 15 days to Tamil Nadu. On Monday, a Jal Shakti Ministry official told PTI that an emergency meeting was held in New Delhi on Monday in which Karnataka and Tamil Nadu made their representations. Based on the hearing, the CWMA ordered for extension of the release of water. 

#WATCH | Delhi | Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah CM and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar hold an important meeting regarding Cauvery river water sharing issue wherein Cauvery Water Management Authority ordered the state Govt to release 5000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/pLshjomT2S

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2023

Following this, Karnataka said that they would challenge the CWMA's direction in the Apex Court while Tamil Nadu said that though the quantum of water will be insufficient it will be helpful to some extent till the onset of the northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu. According to PTI, Tamil Nadu wanted 12,500 cusecs, while Karnataka stated it could provide 3,000 cusecs. A deal was reached to release 5,000 cusecs for the next 15 days, after which the situation will be reviewed once more.

I Hope Justice Will Be Given To Us, Says DK Shivakumar

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the state doesn’t even have water for drinking and the Parliament members have assured of support in their fight.

"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,” DK Shivakumar said, as quoted by ANI.

CWMA Won't Blindly Order To Release Water: TN Minister

On the authority's order, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department Minister said that CWMA will not "blindly" issue such orders. He said that a delegation of state MPs led by him will meet Union Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the national capital on Tuesday on the inter-state river dispute.