Karnataka farmers' stir on, wants CRA to review order

Mandya: A day after Karnataka government stopped release of water to Tamil Nadu citing low storage in KRS reservoir, farmers in Mandya said they would continue their protest till the Cauvery River Authority review its earlier directive.

“Till the CRA headed by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh give its verdict, we will continue the agitation,” former minister and leader of Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi (Committee spearheading the stir) MS Atmananda told reporters at Mandya, hotbed of the Cauvery stir.

Karnataka has been requesting the CRA to stay its 19 September order asking the state to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily till 15 October and keep it in abeyance till the decision was subjected to review.

The Cauvery Monitoring Committee is expected to meet in Delhi on 11 October during which the reports of the two central study teams that visited both the states are likely to be debated.

Farmers claim that water was still flowing into Tamil Nadu though the Irrigation Department officials say crest gates have been shut.

“We will continue the stir for two more days and await the outcome of the Monitoring Committee,” Atmananda said.

A group of farmers also blocked Mysore-Bangalore road today demanding early review of CRA decision.

Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi president G Madegowda also continued his protest. Farmers would decide their future course of action after learning from the Supreme Court which had adjourned the state’s petition on the dispute to 12 October.

The apex court had said its order directing Karnataka to supply 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu will not be an impediment in the prime minister deciding on the review plea.

Gowda had earlier demanded an announcement from the state government on stoppage of water.

The water stoppage came yesterday hours after Singh made it clear only the CRA can review its order directing the state to release 9,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka had said it will file a review petition today before the Cauvery River Authority.

The state has been releasing 9,000 cusecs since 30 September in compliance with the Supreme Court order to honour the CRA directive.

Meanwhile former Union minister and Congress leader Ambareesh welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to stop water release.

The actor-turned-politician urged ministers, MLAs and MPs from the state to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to explain the gravity of the drought situation in the state.

Ambareesh said the prime minister should also be convinced about the water shortage in the Cauvery basin due to the failure of rains.

PTI