The Hindu : Talks still an option: Krishna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 29, 2002

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Talks still an option: Krishna

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE SEPT. 28. The Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, said today that even now the Cauvery waters could be shared during the distress period through bilateral discussions between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

He told presspersons here that the case in the Supreme Court would not come in the way of bilateral discussions. The court accepted out-of-court settlements.

Asked whether he would take the initiative and invite the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jalayalalithaa, for talks he said it might not evoke a response. "I am too small a person to initiate talks with her. She is a senior leader. I have just become a Chief Minister whereas she is holding the post for the second term. I am only a beginner,'' he said. One should not take an emotional view of the matter, and the issue should be settled through negotiations taking into account the needs of the two States. The water available could be shared in an equitable manner. "We should be ready for this, and an atmosphere should be created.''

Refusing to comment on the "defiant and different stands" taken by Ms. Jayalalithaa on various occasions on the issue, he said he won't comment as it would not be in good taste. Moreover, the matter was before the apex court, for which he had very high regard. Whatever had happened after the intervention of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the details of the discussions should not be made an issue of public debate. He would give all the information to the Cauvery River Authority.

Mr. Krishna said the Cauvery Monitoring Committee and experts should have inspected reservoirs in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and made recommendations to the CRA.

Asked why the farmers in Mandya and neighbouring areas were continuing their agitation even after his Government stopped releasing water to Tamil Nadu, Mr. Krishna said that in a democracy, people could not be stopped from organising protests. However, the protestors should know that they had a responsibility to maintain peace, and that the agitation should be non-violent. They should not stop any traveller, he added.

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