Bommai urges CM to take firm stand based on facts that K'taka cannot release Cauvery water to TN
Bengaluru, Aug 14: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take a firm stand, based on facts, that the state cannot release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
In a letter to the CM, the BJP leader said that the release of water will cause hardship to the people and farmers of Karnataka.
The Tamil Nadu government on Friday asserted that it has no other option but to approach the Supreme Court to get Cauvery water, stating that Karnataka has changed its stand and has come forward to release only a reduced quantum of 8,000 cusecs.
"On June 1, there was a total of 24,352 tmc of water in the four reservoirs of Karnataka (Cauvery basin). Similarly, 69.77 tmc in Mettur reservoir, 16.653 tmc in Bhavani Sagar Reservoir, and 14.054 tmc water has flowed from Biligundlu measuring station on 6-8-2023. So, a total of 83.831 tmc of water has been received in Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu this year," Bommai said.
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Noting that according to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), Tamil Nadu is required to grow Kuruvai crop in 1.8 lakh acre and should use 32 tmc water, he said Tamil Nadu, however, as on August 7, has used 60.97 tmc of water for Kuruvai crop, which is double the figure mentioned in the CWDT order.
"Ignoring the scarcity of water in the Cauvery basin, water has been provided to four times the prescribed Kuruvai area (in Tamil Nadu), which is in violation of CWDT order," he said, adding that silence of the state's officials without protesting this in the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has affected Karnataka's interest.
Pointing out that the current water level in the four dams is not sufficient for the drinking water needs of Bengaluru city, other cities and the villages of the Cauvery basin, Bommai said similarly, kharif crops in the Cauvery basin will suffer from shortage of water.
"Thus the release of water causes hardship to the people and farmers of Karnataka," he said, urging the chief minister to take a firm stand that, based on facts, the state cannot release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu which is receiving Southwest and Northeast Monsoon rains.
"I believe that you will protect the interests of the people of the Cauvery basin," he added.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
