Release 2,000 cusecs water to TN till next order: SC to Karnataka

 

In the ongoing legal battle between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Karnataka received yet another blow. While the Supreme Court postponed the Cauvery hearing to Wednesday, it also ordered Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu until further orders by the court.

 

Karnataka was banking on the Cauvery Technical Committee report submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday, after conducting visits to the Cauvery basin in Karnataka as well as Tamil Nadu.

 

Arguing for Karnataka advocate Fali S Nariman requested the Supreme Court not to order the state to release water to Tamil Nadu as the state does not have sufficient water even to drink.

 

In his 2-minute argument, Nariman told that Tamil Nadu would receive Northeast monsoon in the next month, whereas Karnataka would not receive any rainfall in that period.

 

Pro-Kerala advocates supported Karnataka’s argument as well, but to no avail.

 

Karnataka had earlier released 2,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu per day until October 6. Now the court has asked the state to release 2,000 cusecs water per day counting from October 7 to 18.

 

Meanwhile, Advocate General Mukul Rohtagi argued that the pleas by both the state are not eligible to be taken up by the court.

 

However, the SC has postponed the hearing of these special pleas to Wednesday.

 

In the wake of earlier incidents of protests - bandhs in Karnataka and 'rail roko' in Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court has asked both the states to maintain peace.

 

Meanwhile, protests have already begun in Mandya over the verdict.