Quantum of water release as directed by Supreme Court 'not enough', says DMK

Opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday said the quantum of water release as directed by Supreme Court from Cauvery River was "not enough" and urged the AIADMK government to spell out its next course of action in this issue involving neighbouring Karnataka. 

"The Supreme Court order directing 15,000 cusecs for 10 days is certainly not enough for samba crops," DMK President M Karunanidhi said in response to the apex court's order yesterday. 

In its interim order on Tamil Nadu's plea seeking 50.52 tmc feet of Cauvery water from Karnataka to save 40,000 acres of samba crops, the court had asked the upper riparian state to release 15,000 cusecs daily for the next 10 days to its neighbour. 

The court had also directed Tamil Nadu to approach the Supervisory Committee within three days for release of Cauvery water as per Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final order. 

Various farmers' bodies in the state have voiced concern over the quantum and demanded that the state government move a review petition in the apex court, seeking additional water, Karunanidhi said. 

"According to the Supreme Court order, only 13 tmc feet of water will be available for Tamil Nadu. But 200 tmc feet of water is required to cover the entire cultivation of 25 lakh acres," he said in a statement. 

Soon after the court order, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced convening an all-party meeting today while the Tamil Nadu government has "not clarified" what it proposed to do next, he said. 

"Everybody knows that the 13 tmc feet water as directed by the Supreme Court is not at all enough. What are they (government) going to decide on that? 

Will they file a review petition as sought by farmers' bodies or get a strong order from Centre on constituting of the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Regulatory Committee?," Karunanidhi asked. 

"Will they get an order for securing at least 50 tmc feet of water from Karnataka or will they lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister to exert pressure" on the matter? he asked. Everybody was "keen" to know the response of the AIADMK government, he added. 

On the apex court also directing Tamil Nadu to approach the Supervisory Committee, Karunanidhi said it had "no authority nor any legal recognition." "This committee has no authority to control any state. This committee itself is a futile effort and we have already said this," he added.