Cauvery water row: Karnataka bigwigs off to Delhi to give resolution to SC

Bengaluru: Two days after passing a unanimous resolution in the Legislature on reserving water for drinking, Water resources minister, M. B. Patil, Law and Parliamentary affairs minister, T. B. Jayachandra and Chief Secretary, Aravind Jadhav have left for New Delhi to hold discussions with the state legal team headed by Fali. S. Nariman.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader observed that the legal team is expected to file an application in the Supreme Court on Monday and submit the legislature’s resolution.

"This is to inform the court in advance of the state’s inability to follow its directive to release water to TN. The team headed by Fali Nariman held a meeting in Delhi and prepared a strategy to be adopted before the apex court, which will hear the matter on September 27," the source explained.

The source added that the state government would plead before the Supreme Court to apply the principle of "live and let live" to Karnataka to ensure drinking water to people residing in the Cauvery basin, including Bengaluru. All four reservoirs together have 27.6 tmcft of water. A quantum of 24.11 tmcft of water is required for drinking water purposes till the end of May 2017.

The source added with the backing of the BJP, the state government had decided to put pressure on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to not take steps to form the Cauvery Management Board, as instructed by the apex court in its ruling on September 20.