Karnataka would protest against the formation of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CRMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) by the Central government at their first meeting in New Delhi on Monday, said an official.
The decision to move the Supreme Court was taken at the all-party meeting called by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and attended by former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party state president BS Yeddyurappa. Kumaraswamy said that while the government respects the Supreme Court’s decisions, there are a few matters where “schemes were formed unscientifically”, a news agency reported.
“As decided by the all-party meeting here on Saturday, the state’s nominated members on the Authority and the Committee will participate in their meeting to protest against their formation by the Centre without considering views of the state government,” an official of the Chief Minister’s office told.
Karnataka has opposed the formation of the Cauvery Water Management Authority as it will have to renounce its control over three reservoirs that fall in the Cauvery river basin, a news source reported.
Irrigation Minister DK Shivakumar said the Supreme Court’s judgment was not in the interest of Karnataka. “We have appointed two officers to the authority and they will go to the meeting on July 2 to present our views and raise the issues of farmers of Karnataka,” Shivakumar said.
State Water Resources Principal Secretary Rakesh Singh and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd Managing Director H.L. Prasanna are Karnataka’s representatives on the CWMA and CWRC.
The Union Water Resources Ministry on June 1 notified the Authority and the Committee as part of the scheme the apex court directed on May 18 for implementing the 2007 Cauvery Water Tribunal Award.
Central Water Commission Chairman Masood Hussain heads the CWMA, while its Irrigation Management Organisation’s Chief Engineer Navin Kumar Chairman of the CWRC and also a member of the Authority.
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