Describing the order of the Supreme Court to release 12,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery on daily basis to Tamil Nadu till September 20 as “severe punishment”, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said: “Karnataka is not in a position to release water under the current circumstances.”
Mr. Gowda, who earlier favoured release of water, changed his stand after conducting aerial survey on Sunday, besides meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, state’s counsel Fali Nariman.
Favouring the intervention of Mr. Modi in the matter, he said: “The ball is now in the court of Mr. Modi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.”
Noting that Karnataka has already released 9 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu, he maintained that “abiding court’s order will only add to the burden” and people would not have water to even drink.
Regretting the Supreme Court’s observation over public unrest and turmoil, he said that protesting peacefully was the people's right.
Taking exception to the stand of Cauvery Supervisory Committee to abide by the verdict of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), he said: “We have questioned the verdict in Special Leave Petition, which is pending before the Supreme Court for the past nine years.”
