Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has sought a debate on the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board in Parliament. Mr Kumaraswamy who is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening in Delhi, has stated that Cauvery Management Board (CMB) was formed before the issue was debated in Parliament, though the Interstate Water Disputes Act, 1956 mandates Parliament approval prior to the gazette notification.
“The formation of CMB should have been debated in Parliament as it concerns an interstate dispute. In the gazette notification on the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board issued by the Centre, the Board has been given powers to measure the water levels in our reservoirs once in ten days and to direct our farmers on what crops to grow. This is unscientific and detrimental to our farmers. Who will pacify our farmers? We have raised objections to many other shortcomings in the scheme, which needs to be immediately addressed,” said Kumaraswamy, adding that the move was an infringement of the rights of the state government in a federal system.
“The upper riparian states like Karnataka release water as per the court order. However, the lower riparian states are forced to release excess water into the sea, when there is adequate rainfall and their dams are brimming with water. Water goes waste. Today, we are in a federal structure and the state government should be empowered to take decision that benefit the people. We want farmers of both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to survive,” said Kumaraswamy adding that he would meet both the prime minister and the water resources minister to draw attentions to the lacunae in the gazette notification.