Southern States - Karnataka   

SC order on Bheema delights farmers

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR MAY 2. The people of villages on the banks of the Bheema were delighted on Friday after hearing the judgment of the Supreme Court, which directed Maharashtra to release adequate quantum of water from the Ujani Dam to ensure at least 200 cusecs flowed into the Karnataka side daily for the next three months.

According to reports received here, a Division Bench comprising Justice S.Rajendra Babu and Justice G.C.Mathur ruled that the previous order issued by it on April 1 must be implemented immediately. This time the order was directly addressed to Maharashtra, which has been made a respondent in the case following its refusal to implement the previous order routed through the Centre.

If 200 cusecs of water flow is to be maintained at Takli near the Karnataka border, a large quantum has to be released from the dam, taking into account the possible loss en route to irrigation and domestic consumption, percolation, and evaporation. The distance between Ujani Dam and Takli is 200 km.

As soon as the hearing began, Amitabh Verma, counsel for the Bheema Nadi Neeru Rakshana Raithavarga Samiti, headed by Panchappa Kalburgi, said the people represented by his client had been suffering because of delay in implementing the April 1 order.

Maharashtra, which filed its affidavit in the apex court today, disputed the phrase "consensus decision" used by the Central Water Commission in its report submitted to the court on the proceedings of the tripartite meeting held in Hyderabad on March 28.

The counsel for Maharashtra, Albhyarujima, denied that his State agreed to release water at the meeting in Hyderabad. Maharashtra was facing acute shortage of water, and Karnataka had provided it water from the Alamatti Dam through the Indi Branch Canal (IBC).

He cited a report in The Hindu, which had an account of Karnataka releasing water to Solapur and other villages through the IBC. Why Karnataka, despite being in a position to provide enough water to its people, needed water from Maharashtra, he asked.

Kabil Sibal, senior lawyer, who appeared on behalf of Karnataka, said it was in different context and insisted that Maharashtra should ensure water flow in the dried up river as per the court order.

Taking exception to Maharashtra's "intransigent" stand, the Attorney-General, Soli Sorabjee, said the upper riparian State had to honour the "consensus" decision of the meeting in Hyderabad even as the counsels for petitioner and Karnataka echoed his view.

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