The Karnataka Legislative Council on Friday unanimously passed a one-line resolution empowering the Chief Minister to limit the use of Cauvery water for drinking water supply, thus setting the stage for a constitutional confrontation with the Supreme Court.
Limiting Cauvery water left in Karnataka dams only for drinking water translates to saying a polite “No” to a latest apex court order directing release of 6,000 cusecs of additional water to Tamil Nadu.
The resolution moved by the Opposition BJP was supported by JDS and ruling Congress.
The same resolution was moved in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and was being discussed in the House in the afternoon.
The stage for a State Assembly vs Supreme Court was set on Wednesday evening at the all-party meeting called by the CM, which was boycotted by the BJP.
However, BJP state president BS Yedyurappa later clarified that the party stands united with Congress and JDS in that the state has no surplus water to share with Tamil Nadu for irrigation.
During the special session convened on Friday to discuss the SC directive, state agricultural minister MB Patil said rivers Krishna and Cauvery were the lifeline of the state. “We have to take some tough steps to protect interests of our people,” he said.
Puttannaiah, MLA and farmers’ leader, took a more aggressive stand saying the state should send out a stern message that for this year there should no water given out for any other purpose than drinking.
“Let’s see if we can also look at a long-term solution. Both CMs must put aside differences and hold talks,” he said.
Last Tuesday, a two-member bench of the SC comprising Justice Deepak Misra and Justice UU Lalith on Tuesday had ordered Karnataka to release 6000 cusecs of water for one more week on last Tuesday.
It also ordered the Centre to set up the board to deal with water distribution among the four states in a month.
Answering a question on the possible Constitutional crisis these acts may create, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister TB Jayachandra had then said that the legislature session would discuss all the aspects and will come out with clear answers.
“The purpose of the emergency session is to arrive at a consensus decision. I am hopeful that our elected MLAs and MLCs would be able stand unitedly to face any consequences,” he said.
Top Karnataka leaders including former Prime Minister and JD (S) founder HD Deve Gowda, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha M Mallikarjuna Kharge, and former chief ministers SM Krishna and M Veerappa Moily and others are openly backed the state’s position that there was no water to share for irrigation.
