Apex Court warns Karnataka of serious consequences if it fails to release water

New Delhi:  The Supreme Court (SC) this morning asked Karnataka to release four Tmcft (Thousand Million Cubic Feet) of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu (TN) for the month of May and warned it of “serious consequences” if it fails to release water.

The Apex Court also rebuked the Centre for asking for more time on grounds that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ministers were busy with the May 12 Karnataka polls.

The Court has directed the Centre to inform it what steps were taken to frame the scheme for monitoring the release of water to Tamil Nadu. “You are supposed to frame the scheme,” Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra told the Centre.

The SC posted Tamil Nadu’s petition for framing of scheme for release of Cauvery water as per the Feb. 16 judgment for hearing on May 8. It also asked the Centre to file an affidavit by May 8 stating the steps taken to frame the scheme.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal told the Court that the scheme has to be approved by the Cabinet which could not meet because of non-availability of PM, who after coming from foreign visit, has gone to Karnataka for election campaign.

Venugopal requested the Court to postpone the hearing on this issue to after May 12, the date for Karnataka elections. TN Counsel Shekhar Naphade accused the Centre of playing politics over Cauvery water and said such attitude towards TN would amount to end of federalism in the country as well as rule of law.

The Counsel said that apart from the summer temperature, the temperature over Cauvery water is rising in TN. Naphade asked the SC what do we tell people of TN as no scheme is framed even two months after SC judgment on Cauvery water sharing.

Last month, the Apex Court had asked the Centre to frame a draft scheme by May 3 for the implementation of the judgment on the distribution of Cauvery water between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.

Will consult legal experts: CM

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at Harihar Airport in Davanagere, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah said that he has not much information about the latest SC verdict. “We do not have water and from where will we release water to Tamil Nadu,” he said and added that the State Government would consult legal experts on the issue.