In a huge blow to the Karnataka government which had moved the apex court against the Cauvery Supervisory Committee’s order to release 3,000 cusecs daily for 10 days from September 21-30 , the Supreme Court today directed Karnataka to release 6000 cusecs of Cauvery River water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu for next seven days, starting tomorrow.
The court said that the state must abide by the order and fixed September 27 as next date of hearing.
The apex court also gave liberty to both states to file objections against the directions of the Cauvery Supervisory Committee.
The bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, giving the direction to Karnataka, also directed the Central government to constitute a Cauvery Management Board, as directed by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), in four weeks time and report to the court with notification of it being set up.
It also directed the Centre to produce before it on the next date of hearing, the notification indicating that CWMB has been constituted and said, if required, further direction can be passed by the apex court to the CWMB.
The panel’s order to release 3,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu comes into force after the state completes releasing 12,000 cusecs daily on Tuesday as per the apex court's September 12 order, which is a modification of its September 5 directive to release 15,000 cusecs daily for 10 days from September 7.
"How long will the two states keep fighting? This dispute is there from 1894. Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB) is an expert body and it needs to be constituted. Just because the problem had not arisen earlier doesn't mean that the problem will never arise in future," the bench told ASG Pinky Anand, appearing for Centre.
The apex court took note of the fact that no consensus was reached among the states before the Supervisory Committee and Union Water Resources Secretary and Chairman of the Committee Shashi Shekhar used his power to ask Karnataka to release 3000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu.
Senior advocate and noted jurist F S Nariman, appearing for Karnataka, opposed the supervisory committee order and said the state was aggrieved by the order.
"We cannot give water to Tamil Nadu from our drinking water supply," Nariman said while opposing any interim arrangement for release of Cauvery water.
Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Tamil Nadu, also opposed the directions, saying the supervisory committee has not considered all aspects while passing the order.
He said the committee had failed to consider the fact that it was a rain deficient year and the quantum of water to be released has to be done proportionally.
"We need water here and now otherwise our Samba crops which are planted in August-September and harvested in December will be destroyed," Naphade said.
Meanwhile, security remained tightened in and around Bengaluru, with 16,000 police personnel, along with para-military forces, monitoring law and order. A senior police official said that security has been tightened at sensitive areas, bus stands and railway stations to prevent violent protests.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that substantial number of police force has been deployed across the Bengaluru city and at the border, two BSF companies and six KSRP companies have been deployed, he added.
Police have also banned sale of liquor and opening of bars, wine shops and pubs on Tuesday and Wednesday in and around the city.
In Mandya, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike activists protested against the order of Cauvery Supervisory Committee and urged the state government not to release water.
ANI reported that Section 144 has been imposed in Mandya’s Sanjay circle ahead of the top court’s hearing.
The measures have been taken after last week the agitation opposing Supreme Court’s order on release of Cauvery river water turned violent
