Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar held a long discussion with retired High Court judges and former Advocate Generals regarding the efficient handling of the crisis faced by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to release 3000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.
After the meeting, CM Siddaramaiah informed the media, “Legal experts have given some opinion and advice based on their experience. All of them cannot be discussed here. Experts have suggested that it is good to form an ‘advisory committee’ mainly in relation to inter-state water disputes.
A review petition will be filed before the Cauvery Water Management Board and the Supreme Court tomorrow as we do not have water and cannot release water.
Regarding releasing 3000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu, it has been argued before both committees that we do not have water, so we cannot release water. He suggested to give 3000 cusecs to settle the old arrears. He has also suggested filing a review petition before the Management Board and the Supreme Court.
Tamil Nadu has no problem with the Mekedatu project. So he has suggested that it should be presented vigorously. Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir will have a storage capacity of 67 TMC. It will be used for electricity and drinking water. He has advised that water can be released to Tamil Nadu when there is a problem.
“A special session will be called if the occasion arises. There is contempt of court only when the order is deliberately disobeyed,” he answered a question from reporters.
Senior officials of the Chief Minister’s Ministry including the Law and Water Resources Department were present in the meeting.
