Date:15/05/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/05/15/stories/2003051501581300.htm

National

Contempt plea against Maharashtra Minister

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI May 14. The Supreme Court posted for hearing on June 16 a contempt petition against the Maharashtra Water Resources Minister and others charging that the State failed to implement the court order to release 200 cusecs of the Bheema river water daily to Karnataka.

A vacation Bench comprising Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Justice Shivaraj V. Patil, while posting the matter for hearing on June 16, recorded the statement of senior counsel for Maharashtra that 1,000 cusecs of water was released on May 3, the very next day of the apex court's order.

Counsel, T.R. Andhyarujina, said the water had to travel a distance of 215 km from the Ujjaini reservoir to reach Karnataka and that would take time.

He requested the court to dismiss the contempt petition filed by the Bheema Nadi Neeru Raksha Raithvarga Samiti.

On May 2, on a petition from the Samiti, the court had asked Maharashtra to release every day 200 cusecs of Bheema waters to Karnataka as an interim measure to provide for drinking water to 134 villages in Karnataka.