Date:24/09/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/09/24/stories/2002092404610100.htm

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SC notice to Krishna

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI Sept. 23. The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, on a contempt petition filed by Tamil Nadu to summon and punish him for "wilfully disobeying the orders of the court and the Cauvery River Authority to release water to the Mettur reservoir".

A three-Judge Bench, comprising the Chief Justice B.N. Kirpal, Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice Arijit Pasayat, which also issued notice to four others — the Karnataka Water Resources Minister, H.K. Patil; the Chief Secretary, A. Ravindra; the Secretary, Water Resources department, S.J. Channabassappa; and the Engineer-in-Chief, R. Hrushikesh — asked all of them to respond by September 30, the next date of hearing.

The Bench directed the Union of India to file a further affidavit by September 27 indicating the extent of inflows of water into the Mettur reservoir "in order to ascertain whether the directions of the Cauvery River Authority and the apex court are complied with".