Govt may be dismissed if SC order on Cauvery water ignored: Karnataka CM

The Karnataka government is not keen on releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, but if it does not do so, the government stands the chance of being dismissed for willingly disobeying the Supreme Court, amounting to contempt of court, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said.

Siddaramaiah made the statement during a meeting with a delegation of farmers, labourers, Dalits, and pro-Kannada activists, says a statement released from his office. According to the statement, Siddaramaiah said if the state government does not release Cauvery water, “the Centre may take over its reservoirs”.

Karnataka has been arguing repeatedly that it does not have enough water to release to the neighbouring Tamil Nadu because of insufficient rainfall. However, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Supreme Court have ruled in Tamil Nadu’s favour, asking Karnataka to release the required water.

There have been protests all over Karnataka against the order, and farmers are in panic, according to a farmer leader who met the Chief Minister on Friday. AAP state president Mukhyamantri Chandru has reportedly called the CWMA order “unscientific” and requested the government to convene a special House session to discuss the situation.

Also, on Friday evening, Siddaramaiah convened a meeting with retired Supreme Court judges based in the state, former advocates-general, and irrigation experts to seek legal opinion on the way forward for the state. It was suggested at the meeting that an expert committee should be formed to advise the government on irrigation projects.

After the meeting, the Chief Minister told reporters the state would file a review petition with the Supreme Court as well as the CWMA. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, a body affiliated to the latter, has asked Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.