Karnataka says no to CMC formula

NEW DELHI: After efforts to hammer out a solution at the experts group level failed, the Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC) on Monday came out with a "comprehensive formula" on the sharing of waters during distress months, but was immediately rejected by Karnataka.
"We have suggested to the state governments concerned some formula from the side of the government of India at the end," Union water resources secretary A.K.Goswami told reporters after a more than two-hour meeting attended by chief secretaries of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry and a representative of Kerala.
Stating that the formula was suggested by the Central Water Commission about a year back on distress sharing, Goswami said the meeting discussed it threadbare and tried to make it as "comprehensive as possible". "This formula is, however, not acceptable to Karnataka", he said adding that the formula would be placed before the Cauvery River Authority headed by PM Vajpayeee.
Declining to spell out details of the formula, Goswami said it was a comprehensive one and whatever was flow of water, it would be proportionately shared by Karntaka and TN. Asked about differences on measuring point with Karnataka insisting on Biligundlu and TN stressing on Mettur, he said the formula recommended Mettur.