SC verdict on Cauvery: We have got some relief, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said that though the Supreme Court verdict on the Cauvery issue was not as per the state's appeal, he was happy with it as "we have got some relief". Siddaramaiah also said he did not want to say that the verdict was a defeat for any state and noted that the apex court had only responded to "our difficulties."

In his reaction, Siddaramaiah told reporters that Karnataka's appeal had been partly allowed by the Supreme Court which has allotted 14.75 TMC ft more to the state while Tamil Nadu was allowed to extract 10 tmcft, out of 20 tmcft groundwater.

"Since this is an inter-state dispute,I don't want to say it is a defeat for any state. The Supreme Court has responded to our difficulties," he said, when asked if he was satisfied with the judgment. Asked if Karnataka was in a position to release water, he said, "We always have to obey court orders.We cannot depend on rainfall. Normal years we have to leave. If there is no normal year, distress formula we have to adopt. That is there." On the court directing constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board in six weeks, which the state had always been opposing, he said, "it is not being considered by the Supreme Court. It is left to the government of India."

He added, "though the verdict is not in accordance with our prayer in the appeal, we have got some relief. I am happy with this verdict." In its judgement, the Supreme Court today raised the 270 tmcft share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu's share while compensating it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin. By virtue of today's apex court verdict, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory Puducherry would be annually entitled to 404.25 tmcft, 284.75 tmcft, 30 tmcft and 7 tmcft of Cauvery water respectively out of a total of 740
tmcft.

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