Karnataka won't release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, plans to approach Supreme Court

BENGALURU: With no relief from the relentless dry spell, the Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to not abide by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA)'s directive to release water to Tamil Nadu, and instead consult legal experts and state MPs to chart out the next course of action - moving the Supreme Court.On Wednesday, CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar will hold separate meetings in New Delhi with the state government's legal team on the Cauvery river water-sharing row.

On Monday, CWMA had endorsed the recommendation of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee and ordered release of 5,000 cusecs of water to TN for 15 days. This order came out of an emergency meeting of CWMA presided over by its chairman Saumitra Kumar Haldar. The meeting was held against the backdrop of Karnataka's refusal to comply with the CWRC's September 12 directive.

Karnataka has cited severe drought in parts of the state to not release water to Tamil Nadu. It is expected to argue the same in the SC and before the CWMA at its next meeting on September 26. tnn


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