BANGALORE: The Government will retain Fali S. Nariman as its counsel in all river water disputes in the courts and before the Cauvery and Krishna river water dispute tribunals, Law Minister Basavaraj Horatti told the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

Replying to a debate on a report published in an English daily on Mr. Nariman's continuance as the State's counsel in river water disputes, Mr. Horatti said the change of government will have no bearing on the matter.

Intervening in a discussion on a question raised by Vatal Nagaraj, Leader of the Opposition N. Dharam Singh and two others, the Minister said there is no question of removing Mr. Nariman at this juncture.

Water Resources Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, in his reply to Mr. Nagaraj, said the proceedings before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal are in the final stage. Tamil Nadu has completed its final submissions, and Karnataka is making its arguments. The Centre has extended the term of the tribunal till August 5 this year, and the final award is expected by then.

The members said Mr. Nariman wrote to the Government last month asking whether it wished to continue the services of the team led by him. Mr. Horatti said the Government has not responded to the letter.

It had been reported that the Government is thinking of replacing him with Advocate General R.N. Narasimha Murthy. Mr. Nariman has been appearing for the State since 1983 when the Tamil Nadu Government filed a petition before the Supreme Court on the Cauvery river water issue.

Krishna waters

A new issue has been raised by the Maharashtra Government, which has petitioned the Krishna River Water Tribunal for reducing the height of the Alamatti Dam from 519.6 m to 509 m. It has argued that when the reservoir is full, its backwaters will submerge parts of Maharashtra. The tribunal will take up the matter on April 17.

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