The Supreme Court yesterday asked the central government to convene a meeting of the chief ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to find a solution to the impasse over Cauvery river water.
A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit also ordered the Karnataka government to release 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu every day for the next three days.
The court’s instruction came after Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi suggested that the central government could sit with the two chief ministers – K Siddaramaiah and J Jayalalithaa.
September 30 has been fixed as the next date for hearing in the matter.
The bench told the two states fighting over the river water to respect the principle of “federal co-operation,” and advised Tamil Nadu to exercise “patience” and not to be “emotional” over the issue.
“We direct the state of Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of water. We are sure that Karnataka would not create any impediment or obstruction in the release of water,” the court said.
The bench also clarified in the order that the water to be given to Tamil Nadu (6,000 cusecs per day for next three days) would be adjusted against the total release of water to the state.
Tamil Nadu attacked Karnataka for not complying with the court’s September 20 order to release 6,000 cusecs of water every day for next seven days, and said Karnataka’s plea seeking modification of the order should not be heard.
“They (Karnataka) should not be heard till they obey the orders of the court. This is a gross defiance of the court’s order ... end of the rule of law,” senior counsel Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Tamil Nadu, told the court.
He further said: “Tamil Nadu is tired of this litigation. Two-thirds of Bangalore is outside the Cauvery basin, yet (Cauvery) water flows to it.”
Naphade described the stand of Karnataka as “obstructionist” and “obstinate,” and Naphade told the bench that “Tamil Nadu has come to the conclusion that, come what may, Karnataka will not give it (Tamil Nadu) its legitimate share (of Cauvery water).”
Overruling Naphade’s assertion that Karnataka should not be heard, the bench said: “Attempt should be made by the executive of both states to manage and resolve the issue.”
At one stage in the course of the hearing, the bench asked senior counsel Fali S Nariman under what provision of the Constitution had the Karnataka assembly passed the resolution denying release of water to Tamil Nadu.
The Karnataka government, in an application on September 26, told the Supreme Court that it can release additional water to Tamil Nadu only by December, and that “Karnataka’s all major cities, including Bengaluru, are falling short of drinking water.”
In Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa discussed the issues at the Apollo Hospital.
She also dictated her speech to be read out by Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao at the meeting of the executive heads of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to be convened tomorrow, an official statement said.
Chairing a meeting of government officials at Apollo Hospital where she is recuperating, Jayalalithaa told Edapaddi K Palaniswamy, the minister for public works, highways and minor ports, and officials to attend tomorrow’s meeting.