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Karnataka, Tamil Nadu get cold feet on Cauvery issue

Karnataka has expressed its reservations about the Cauvery accord, reached at the meeting between the four riparian chief ministers and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

And, with Tamil Nadu seeking time to study the accord, the Supreme Court today posted the case for hearing on August 17.

The court today also referred to a five-judge Constitution Bench the government notification on the scheme for implementing the Cauvery Waters Tribunal interim award.

A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice M M Punchchi, Justice S C Agrawal and Justice A P Mishra issued the directive when Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee placed a copy of the notification, issued yesterday, before the court. Sorabjee informed the court that the scheme would be implemented in the next eight weeks.

The matter was referred to the Constitution Bench to determine if any other issue survives in the Tamil Nadu suit seeking implementation of the interim award of the tribunal dated June 25, 1991, asking the state of Karnataka to release 205 tmc ft water to Tamil Nadu annually.

Placing the notification before the court, Sorabjee said, ''I am happy that within the time-frame given by the court, beneficial results have been achieved and the scheme has been framed and notified yesterday.''

''We are happy too,'' the chief justice quipped.

At this stage, senior counsel F S Nariman, appearing for Karnataka, sought some time to study the scheme to prepare submissions to be placed before the Constitution Bench.

Nariman said the scheme framed by the Centre was on the basis of the consultation among the four riparian states -- Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry -- and not by consensus. Some of the states might not be very happy about it, he said.

UNI

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