The Supreme Court has reprimanded the Karnataka government for failing to follow the apex court’s order of sharing Cauvery River water with its neighbour Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, in a fresh ruling the Siddaramaiah-led government has been asked to release 6000 cusecs of water every day to Tamil Nadu, starting October 1.
“The wrath of the law will fall upon Karnataka in case of any defiance of the Cauvery order. The state is flouting order and creating a situation in which majesty of law is dented,” the SC said.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ordered Karnataka to increase the amount of water for two weeks that it was giving to Tamil Nadu to help farmers there. Riots erupted across Karnataka, including in the state capital of Bengaluru, where two people died and police cars and buses were set on fire.
On Thursday, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti failed to broker a deal between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery dispute. However, Bharti requested the two sides to resolve the issue outside and approach the Supreme Court with a solution. The union minister went on to add that she would sit on an indefinite hunger strike if tension prevails across the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
