Cauvery water row: Farmer leaders sore over delay in formation of technical panel
Mysuru: Farmer leaders felt that the Supreme Court should have constituted a technical committee to prepare a report on the ground reality in both states, before ordering Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu.
“At least now, the state should form a committee, else we may have to form one,” they warned. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Karnataka Sugarcane Growers’ Association, head, Mr Kurubur Shanthakumar said, “Monday’s Supreme Court order cannot be adhered to at any cost. It has only worsened the situation. The Apex court should have passed an order to constitute a technical committee to assess the ground reality in both states. Since it is an issue pertaining to drinking water, people have an emotional connect. Protests are a mark of displeasure in a democratic set-up, it is unfortunately the apex court has objected to it. Yet violence is not the solution, the issue has to be solved through peaceful mutual talks. We are holding an emergency meeting of all farmer leaders on Wednesday to plan how to take our protests forward,” he said.
Karnataka Raitha Sangha, head Mr K.S. Puttannaiah said, “Without a report by an experts committee on the ground reality, I wonder on what basis the SC is directing the state to release water. There is no water for irrigation for 6.50 lakh acres of land. We will urge the state government to announce compensation for the crop loss, they may have to give us Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 crores. The issue of drinking water is a very serious matter. Atleast the state has to form an expert committee to study the ground reality, or else we farmer leaders will form one. It is high time that we found a permanent solution to the Cauvery crisis, with a committee involving experts from both states,” he said.
Kerala cancels bus services to Bengaluru
Amidst the raging row over Cauvery water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and subsequent sporadic violence in Karnataka, Kerala on Monday decided to cancel temporarily its bus services from and to Bengaluru, causing concern to Malayalees who want to reach home to celebrate Onam on Wednesday.
Taking a serious note of the situation, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to his counterpart in Karnataka over phone and took stock of the developments, official sources said.
Kerala Transport Minister A K Saseendran said that in view of the serious situation prevailing in Karnataka, the Kerala government had decided to temporarily cancel the services of state-run Kerala Road Transport Corporation buses to Bengaluru and other cities.
