Karnataka to once again approach CWRC expressing inability to release water to TN, says CM
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the state will once again file a petition before the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) expressing its inability to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu.
CWRC on Tuesday had recommended that Karnataka release 5,000 cusecs of water every day for the next 15 days to the neighbouring state.
The Chief Minister, who today held a "special emergency meeting" following the CWRC recommendation, said his government will consult its legal team regarding releasing water and take a decision, and will also once again move the Supreme Court explaining the factual situation on the ground.
"We will once again file a petition before the CWRC stating that we don't have water, so can't release water, so reconsider (the recommendation). Let's see what they will do, based on that we will once again file a petition in the Supreme Court and we will try to inform the court the factual situation on the ground," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting here, he said, "meanwhile, we will discuss with the legal team whether to release 5,000 cusec per day or not. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is going to Delhi to discuss with the legal team on this and also regarding filing a petition. Keeping all this in mind, we will take a decision afterwards."
Other than Shivakumar, who is also Minister in-charge of Water Resources, Ministers of the Cauvery basin region, former Chief Ministers of all parties, senior Ministers of the state cabinet, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members were invited to participate in the emergency meeting.
However, B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP and H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) did not attend the meeting citing prior commitments.
Noting that the meeting was called following the CWRC's recommendation to release water, the CM said whether Cauvery or any other inter-state disputes, all parties have taken a unanimous stand so far, and have not indulged in politics on the issues of land, water, language and state's borders.
He further said he has explained the legal implications at the meeting, amid demands from various quarters not to release water.
Pointing out that the CWRC is a recommendatory body and has only made a recommendation, Siddaramaiah said, the state is going to appeal to them stating that Karnataka was not in a position to release water as there is no (adequate) water for crops and for drinking purposes.
He said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking time to lead an all-party delegation, but there has been no response so far. "I will once again write another letter to the PM highlighting the factual position on ground, if he gives time, we will go and meet him."
MPs have also said that they too will exert pressure on the Centre, the CM said.
Observing that the Parliament session is starting from September 18, he said the government is considering calling a meeting of state's MPs and central Ministers from Karnataka there during the session.
"On the whole we want to inform about our situation to the whole country, Supreme Court, CWRC and Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). It is not our intention not to release water, but the situation is that there is no water-- we want to make people and all concerned understand this," he said, adding, representatives of all the parties who attended the meeting have agreed to this.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
