New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up Karnataka for defying the apex court's order and asked it to release 6,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu from October 1 to October 6.
The top court threatened Karnataka that the state would find it difficult when the 'wrath of law' will fall on it for disobeying its orders.
The court has also asked the Centre to set up Cauvery Management Board by October 4.
The court order came despite Karnataka government saying that it is not in a position to release water. The state government had on Wednesday chose to defer releasing water to Tamil Nadu till the meeting of chief ministers of both states with Union water resources minister Uma Bharti in New Delhi on Thursday. However, the meeting was inconclusive with Uma Bharti threatening to go on a hunger strike.
This is the second time Karnataka has decided to defer release of water to Tamil Nadu. The earlier deferment pertained to the Supreme court directive of September 20 asking Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs per day until September 27. Demanding that the state obeys the order of the apex court, the Supreme Court said that since it is a part of India, it must obey Article 144 of Constitution which mandates everyone to obey SC orders.
On "defiance" of the SC order, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah had earlier said, "It is not defying the order. The National Water Policy says the first priority should be given to drinking water and then to irrigation and another purpose. This is what we are demanding," he had said.
The court was hearing the case after Centre filed a report on Thursday's meeting between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The top court threatened Karnataka that the state would find it difficult when the 'wrath of law' will fall on it for disobeying its orders.
The court has also asked the Centre to set up Cauvery Management Board by October 4.
The court order came despite Karnataka government saying that it is not in a position to release water. The state government had on Wednesday chose to defer releasing water to Tamil Nadu till the meeting of chief ministers of both states with Union water resources minister Uma Bharti in New Delhi on Thursday. However, the meeting was inconclusive with Uma Bharti threatening to go on a hunger strike.
This is the second time Karnataka has decided to defer release of water to Tamil Nadu. The earlier deferment pertained to the Supreme court directive of September 20 asking Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs per day until September 27. Demanding that the state obeys the order of the apex court, the Supreme Court said that since it is a part of India, it must obey Article 144 of Constitution which mandates everyone to obey SC orders.
On "defiance" of the SC order, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah had earlier said, "It is not defying the order. The National Water Policy says the first priority should be given to drinking water and then to irrigation and another purpose. This is what we are demanding," he had said.
The court was hearing the case after Centre filed a report on Thursday's meeting between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.