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.
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Karnataka government begins enumeration of Scheduled Castes to collect empirical data
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the enumeration of Scheduled Castes started on Monday, which will go on till May 17.
The second phase of the exercise will be held between May 19 and 21 and designated camps will be organised as part of this phase for the benefit of those who were left out in the first phase.
The third phase, meant for online registration, will also begin on May 19, and it will go on till May 23. Those who are residing outside their towns can make use of this, Siddaramaiah explained.
Addressing a press conference here, the CM said, "The enumeration of scheduled castes is going on in the state. A one-man commission led by the retired High Court Judge, Justice H N Nagamohan Das, has been constituted. He has been mandated to give a clear report on the sub quota for castes in the SC list".
According to him, the Commission has to submit its report in 60 days. Rs 100 crore will be spent on the exercise and 65,000 teachers will be roped in as enumerators.
Siddaramaiah said the purpose of this exercise is to prepare empirical data on 101 castes in the Scheduled Caste list.
He added that the Supreme Court verdict dated August 1, 2024, in the case of the state of Punjab and others versus Devender Singh and others, upheld the constitutionality of sub-classification within SCs.
"Based on the apex court order, we have formed the Justice Nagamohan Das commission," the Chief Minister said.
Siddaramaiah said there are discrepancies in the status of some scheduled castes. While castes such as Adi Dravida, Adi Karnataka and Adi Andhra are in the 'Left' category in some places, they are in the 'Right' category in other places.
The commission will give clear recommendations and prepare empirical data, he explained.
A mobile application has also been developed and a helpline number (94813 59000) has been allotted for this purpose, Siddaramaiah said. He appealed to the people of SC communities in the state to come forward and make this exercise a success.
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