Karnataka to press PM to stay order on Cauvery water

The Karntaka government on Saturday decided to press Prime Minister Manmohan Singh again -- to stay the September 19 order of the Cauvery River Authority -- directing the state to release 9,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu from September 20 to October 15.

The decision was taken in the backdrop of Supreme Court on Friday directing the state to implement the CRA order.

"Had the CRA stayed the order (as sought in a review petition filed before it by the Karnataka government), we would not have faced such a problem (Friday's Supreme Court order)," Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar told reporters.

Speaking after holding meetings with Cabinet colleagues, opposition leaders and legal experts, he said in view of the order, it was decided to request the prime minister again to give an "interim stay".

"We will file the petition shortly. We will fax it. We will request him to pass the order by this evening," said Shettar, flanked by Water Resources Minister Basavaraja Bommai, Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka, who holds the home and transport portfolios, and Law Minister S Suresh Kumar.

"We will press the prime minister to order an interim stay. Based on it (the response), we will take a decision (future course of action)," he said.

The Supreme Court had on Friday pulled up the Karnataka government for failing to comply with the CRA directive to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

A bench of justices D K Jain and Madan Lokur also warned Karnataka that if it failed to comply with the CRA directive, it will have to pass appropriate orders.

"This is the order passed by the CRA, headed by the prime minister. You don't want to comply with it. We are very sorry for the kind of respect you have for the highest authority. You comply with the directive or we will pass the order," the bench had told the counsel appearing for the Karnataka government.