Karnataka asks SC to modify order on water sharing

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Government on Monday filed an appeal in the Supreme Court seeking modification of the court's order on providing water to Tamil Nadu. The apex court will hear the matter tomorrow. The petition came three days after Karnataka Assembly passed a resolution saying the river will be used only for meeting drinking water needs of villages and towns in the Cauvery basin and Bengaluru. However, the resolutions did not mention the apex court's order directing the state to release 6,000 cusecs of water every day to Tamil Nadu till September 27. Karnataka has said its citizens would go thirsty and crops ravaged if it released any more water to Tamil Nadu. Karnataka, including the capital of Bengaluru has witnessed violent protests over the water-sharing, provoking an appeal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calm. Earlier on September 11, one person was killed when the police opened fire to deal with a riot in Bengaluru over the water dispute. 15 policemen were wounded after protesters set cars and buses on fire and pelted people with stones. In 1990, the Central Government created a tribunal to examine the Cauvery water dispute. In 2007, this tribunal delivered its verdict on how water should be shared between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry and Kerala. However, the states have challenged the divide.