Cauvery row: CM says Karnataka ready for legal battle with TN
FollowWith Tamil Nadu government deciding to move the Supreme Court to get its share of Cauvery water, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaih today said his government is also ready for the legal battle.
"Tamil Nadu is accusing us for not releasing its share of water. It has said it will approach the Supreme Court. Our government is also ready for the legal battle," he told reporters here.
Stating that he had written to the Prime Minister informing him about the deficit rainfall in the Cauvery catchment area, he said when it had rained the state had released water, but now the situation was such that there will be difficulty to release water even under the distress formula.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa yesterday told the state Assembly that the government would soon file a petition in the Supreme Court to get its share of Cauvery water from Karnataka.
Stating that Tamil Nadu should understand the reality, Siddaramaiah questioned, "What should we do when there is no water?"
He said Hemavathi, Harangi, Kabini, Krishnarajasagar reservoirs should have had a total of 114 TMC ft water by now, but there was just 52 TMC ft. In that 40 TMC ft should be set aside for drinking water.
"Still we are releasing some amount of water to Tamil Nadu. The issue can be solved if it rains in the days to come," he added.
Ruling out the possibility of talks on the issue with Tamil Nadu, Siddaramaiah said "if they go to court, we will also go."
On the Mahadayi issue with Goa, the Chief Minister said the government has decided to approach Supreme Court against the tribunal's interim order rejecting its claim of water from the inter-state Mahadayi river for a drinking water project.
