Chennai: The modified verdict of Supreme Court to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu from the Cauvery evoked mixed response from farmers representatives here.
While a section of farmers saw it as a positive step to ensure water for Tamil Nadu farmers, a few others expressed the opposite saying that the court had actually reduced the quantum of water after violence in Karnataka. They also said the verdict did not have a legal basis and the court had not acted in accordance with the final verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal or its distress formula.
The coordinator of the Cauvery Struggle Committee, M.R. Pandian said the court had actually condemned Karnataka for its failure to release the prescribed water to Tamil Nadu. It had also rejected the contentions of law and order issues in the state.
However, P. Maniarasan, convenor of the Cauvery Rights Retrieval Committee, comprising political parties and farmers bodies said the order was not based on legalities. The court had reduced water to 12,000 cusecs from 15,000 cusecs which was ordered earlier. So, Karnataka by citing the violence in the state had managed to reduce the quantum of water, even though there were words of condemnation.
The tribunal had given a formula of giving 45 per cent of water to Tamil Nadu during distress period, he said, but it had not been granted to Tamil Nadu. The specified amount of water would not be enough to raise samba crops in Tamil Nadu, he added.
