K'taka govt writes to CWMA to review its order, Shivakumar defends releasing Cauvery water to TN
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday defended the decision to release Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, calling it a "balancing act" even as he said the state has written to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) requesting it to review the order.
Highlighting reduced rains and scarcity of water in the Cauvery basin, he said the CWMA has directed the state to release 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu on a daily basis for the next 15 days.
"There are court orders, there are orders regarding how the distress formula works. Protecting our farmers' interests is a big responsibility for me. Legislators from Mandya may protest against the release of water (to TN)...also, we can't give everything to Tamil Nadu, the government will have to do a balancing act," Shivakumar, who is also Water Resources Minister said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "We have written to the authority yesterday requesting it to review its decision to release 10,000 cusecs of water per day for 15 days to Tamil Nadu, because there is less rains, there is scarcity of water even for drinking, leave aside agriculture."
"Tamil Nadu has utilised water for crops, the water we release from here is taking five to six days to reach there, but still they have used," he said.
Tamil Nadu on Monday approached the Supreme Court with a plea to direct Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for standing crops.
Following this, Shivakumar had on Tuesday had said Karnataka would release 10 tmc ft of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, while maintaining that the state doesn't have sufficient water in dams to meet its requirements like drinking water and agriculture, due to deficit monsoon.
Taking strong exception to the Karnataka government's decision to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, the opposition BJP and JD(S) on Thursday had accused the Congress dispensation of 'betraying' the people of the state and its farmers for the sake of politics and to save its INDIA bloc ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK is a part of the opposition bloc.
Responding to it, Shivakumar said, "Should I give the list regarding the quantum of water released during the BJP and JD(S) governments in the past, during such a situation. I don't want to do politics."
"We will surely call an all-party meeting depending on the situation. We have already planned to call a meeting on Mahadayi, Krishna and Cauvery river water disputes and seek the opposition's suggestions," he added.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday had urged the government to call an all-party meeting on the Cauvery issue.
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Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon over Adani, Sambhal issues
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Thursday amid protests by Opposition members over the Adani issue, violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal and other issues.
As soon as the House met for the day, Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was elected from Kerala's Wayanad in the recent bypoll, and Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan, who was elected from Maharashtra's Nanded, took oath as Lok Sabha MPs.
Immediately after the oath taking of the two new members, many Opposition members, including from the Congress, were on their feet as they sought to raise issues related to the allegations against the Adani Group and other issues.
Some members from the Congress and Samajwadi Party were in the Well while other Opposition members stood in the aisle and shouted slogans.
Speaker Om Birla asked the Opposition members to allow the Question Hour and said they can take up their issues later.
"I have been giving you enough opportunities to raise your issues and will continue to do so in future. But your way of systematic blockade of the proceedings is not acceptable. The issue which you want to raise has nothing to do with the country," he told the protesting members.
Birla said people have chosen the MPs as their representatives to raise the genuine issue of the people but they were resorting to disrupt the proceedings of the House which is not good.
He said there were difference of opinions in the Constituent Assembly too but those were raised in dignified manners.
Amid the din, one question was taken up.
As the protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the House will 12 noon.
The Opposition members wanted to discuss the Adani controversy and the recent violence in Sambhal.
The Adani Group said on Wednesday that Gautam Adani, and his nephew Sagar have not been charged with any violation of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment that authorities filed in the New York court in an alleged bribery case.
