KARNATAKA TO CHALLENGE CAUVERY WATER AUTHORITY IN SC

An all-party meet called by Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday decided to authorise the state’s legal team to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Centre’s recent notification of the Cauvery management authority. Additionally, Members of Parliament from the state have agreed to take up the issue in the House.

The developments come a week after Karnataka reluctantly nominated two bureaucrats to the management authority, after the Centre issued a notification. The notification is part of the Cauvery water sharing scheme that the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to announce in its verdict on the matter earlier this year.

Addressing the press after the meeting, irrigation minister DK Shivakumar said two committees had been set up by the Centre, the management authority and regulation committee. This was despite the state asking the Centre to not be in a hurry to form the authority. “We have appointed two officers to the authority and they will attend the meeting on July 2 to present our views and raise the issues of farmers of Karnataka,” Shivakumar said.

The irrigation minister said MPs from the state agreed to raise the issue in Parliament. “Although it is mandatory for the Centre to place the scheme for discussion in Parliament, we have decided not to wait till then,” the Congress leader said.

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