SC toughens stand on K’taka over Cauvery water to TN

NEW DELHI: A day after the Karnataka assembly passed a resolution opposing release of more water from Cauvery, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the state government to provide 6,000 cusecs of water to its neighbour Tamil Nadu for three days from September 28.

Although a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra refused to issue orders against Karnataka for defying its earlier order to release water, the bench indicated that it might crack the whip in future to “uphold the majesty and dignity” of its order.

The court called for a political solution to the impasse by convening a meeting of the chief ministers and the Centre.

It told attorney general Mukul Rohatgi to facilitate a meeting of the executive heads over the next two days to find a resolution to the impasse and inform the court about the outcome on Friday. Rohatgi said the Centre was prepared to facilitate such a meeting

The court said it asked for such a meeting not because it could not pass appropriate orders to maintain the rule of law, but because it thought it appropriate that there has to be a discussion.

Senior advocate Fali S. Nariman, appearing for Karnataka, and senior counsel Shekhar Naphade, for Tamil Nadu, agreed with the court’s advice.

The bench said the water shall be released despite the resolution passed by the assembly.

Naphade asked the court not to hear Karnataka until it releases the water, saying the state was “defying the orders of this court”.

Nariman said Karnataka was willing to implement the order towards November-end when the state gets sufficient water from the north-east monsoon.