No more water for Tamil Nadu;Karnataka decides,special House session on Saturday

The Karnataka government tonight chose to defer release of 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till September 23, when a special session of the state legislature would take a decision on the Supreme Court direction.

“Immediately Assembly session should be called where the issue should be discussed in detail, the decision taken there should be informed to the Supreme Court”, he said.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said after the all-party meeting that “not even a single drop of water should be released to Tamil Nadu for any reason whatsoever”. He also requested the state governor to convene both Houses on September 23 at 11 am to discuss the issue.

The opposition BJP boycotted the meeting. As he faced a fresh challenge on the raging Cauvery row at a time when the protests were abating, Siddaramaiah said the Supreme Court has passed an order, since we do not have water, it is very hard to implement it.

Tamil Nadu, delta farmers have urged the central government to set up Cauvery management Board immediately as per the orders of Supreme Court. It is an ‘unimplementable order’.

Government, which has appealed for peace, has made elaborate security arrangements in the city and southern districts to ensure that no untoward incidents happen. “After taking views and opinion of leaders from all parties, we will proceed further”, he added.

The apex court’s Tuesday’s order will be placed at the all-party meeting along with the state’s representation to the supervisory committee and the petitions the state has filed before a division bench to plead the state’s inability to release any more water for irrigation to the neighbouring state.

Soon after the Supreme Court’s order, Siddaramaiah held meetings with senior ministers and officials.

BJP union ministers from Karnataka had conveyed their inability to attend the meet because of the union cabinet meeting, Siddaramaiah said.

Briefing reporters after the order of the Supreme court, Siddaramaiah termed it as “difficult to enforce”.

Sporadic protests have continued in the river basin districts, especially Mandya, the epicentre of the Cauvery agitation since morning, where the agitators have blocked Bengaluru-Mysuru road at various places.