'Cauvery notification will greatly affect K'tka interests'

The opposition Congress and Janata Dal Secular on Tuesday made a forceful plea in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly against notification of the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award, underlining that the move would amount to grave injustice to the State's interests.

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to notify the award by February 20. It also directed Karnataka to release 2 TMC ft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu but did not issue any timeframe for the same.

Raising the issue in the assembly, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah referred to the Supreme Court order in which it was mentioned that Karnataka had expressly stated that it had no objections to its notification, and demanded that the government clarify its stand on the issue.

"Why this sudden change in the government stand," he asked, calling for a detailed debate on the issue.

In the past five years, Karnataka had expressed its reservations on the notification contending that a civil appeal is pending before the Supreme Court, which needs to be first disposed of.

Also, the state has maintained consistently that the award had done "injustice" to the state.   

Water Resources Minister Basavaraja Bommai said there is no change in the state government stand. He and Shettar said the government would make a detailed statement in the House.

Janata Dal Secular leader H D Revanna said it would not be wrong to say that the notification is a "mortal blow" to Karnataka, adding, legislators irrespective of party affiliations should resign as a mark of protest, if the Centre goes ahead with it.

The chief minister said the government has been safeguarding the interests of the State and would continue to do so.