The Hindu : SC orders release of Bheema water

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 02, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

SC orders release of Bheema water

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR APRIL 1. The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Union Government to get water released into the Bheema River from Ujani Dam in Maharashtra regularly to ensure that Karnataka received at least 200 cusecs of water daily in the next three months.

Although the apex court did not specify how much water should be released from Ujani Dam, it ruled that the Central Water Commission's water gauging centre at Takli (near the Karnataka border) should show that water flow was not less than 200 cusecs. The order, passed by a Division Bench headed by Justice S.Rajendra Babu on the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Bheema Nadi Neeru Rakshana Raithavarga Samiti (BNNRRS), had to be implemented with immediate effect.

Informing the Bench about the outcome of the tripartite meeting involving the representatives of the Centre, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, in Hyderabad on March 28, the Assistant Solicitor- General, Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre and the Central Water Commission (CWC), said Karnataka had asked for 200 cusecs of water to mitigate water scarcity, and Maharashtra had agreed to release water from the Ujani Dam regularly to meet the needs of the lower riparian State. Amitab Verma, appearing for the petitioner (BNNRRS), said ensuring "just 200 cusecs" of water was insufficient to meet the water scarcity in 163 villages. However, he sought some time to consult the petitioner about the quantum of water flow the respondents (Centre, CWC and State) had agreed to ensure.

Later in the afternoon, the counsel informed the Bench the consent of the petitioner. But, the petitioner would like to reserve the right of approaching the court in case the measure failed to address the problem. Following this, the Bench passed an order directing the Centre to ensure that Karnataka received 200 cusecs of water for the next three months. Meanwhile, the President of BNNRRS, Panchappa Kalburgi, said justice had been done to the people in the Bheema belt, who had been suffering for most of the year in recent times. He told The Hindu over telephone from Delhi, that the order of the Supreme Court vindicated the samiti's stand.

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