Karnataka to approach SC today

CAUVERY DISPUTE

THE KARNATAKA government will approach the Supreme Court on Monday with an application to modify an order issued by the court on September 20 directing Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of water per day till September 27 to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

The Congress government in Karnataka is seeking a modification of the Supreme Court order in the light of the state legislature passing a resolution on September 23 saying Karnataka cannot release water to Tamil Nadu until storage for drinking purposes improves in reservoirs in the Cauvery basin in the state.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, informing him about the resolution passed by the state legislature, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka government would be approaching the Supreme Court on Monday seeking modification of the interim order in such a way that it permits Karnataka “to account water for water before the end of the season in January 2017 instead of accounting on 27.09.2016 as directed in the interim order”.

“I am enclosing the copies of the resolutions passed by both houses of the state legislature in a specially convened session... directing that the state government should not draw water from the existing storage in four reservoirs in Karnataka save and except for drinking water purposes which is assessed at 26.33 TMC for towns and villages of Cauvery basin and the entire city of Bengaluru,” Siddaramaiah stated in his letter.