Karnataka to protest Cauvery Water Management Authority formation

Bengaluru: Karnataka would protest against the formation of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CRMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) by the Central government at their first meeting in New Delhi on Monday, said an official on Sunday. "As decided by the all-party meeting here on Saturday, the state's nominated members on the Authority and the Committee will participate in their meeting to protest against their formation by the Centre without considering views of the state government," an official of the Chief Minister's office told IANS here. State Water Resources Principal Secretary Rakesh Singh and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd Managing Director H.L. Prasanna are Karnataka's representatives on the CWMA and CWRC. "The meeting also directed the representatives to express displeasure to the Centre and register objection at the first meeting of the CWMA and CWRC for constituting them without discussion in Parliament on the scheme, which affects the interests of the people, especially farmers," added the official. The Union Water Resources Ministry on June 1 notified the Authority and the Committee as part of the scheme the apex court directed on May 18 for implementing the 2007 Cauvery Water Tribunal Award. Central Water Commission Chairman Masood Hussain heads the CWMA, while its Irrigation Management Organisation's Chief Engineer Navin Kumar Chairman of the CWRC and also member of the Authority. The technical panel, which will be based in Bengaluru, is mandated to ensure Karnataka releases 177.25 tmc (thousand million cubic) feet of the river water to Tamil Nadu in a normal year as per the Tribunal award and directed by the apex court.