H.N. Nanje Gowda

Bangalore: The former Irrigation Minister H.N. Nanje Gowda has taken serious objection to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal releasing the assessors' reports on the water requirements of the riparian States for irrigation. He has urged the tribunal to reject the reports, as the assessors are not a recommendatory body.

Speaking to presspersons here on Saturday, Mr. Nanje Gowda, who is well versed with the issues involved, said the two members of the tribunal should not have recommended that the State's concerned be asked to give their opinion on the reports.

However, it was for the tribunal to decide on this aspect. He noted that it was necessary that the tribunal, the disputant States and the Centre realise that the implementation of the tribunal's order depended on the cooperation of the States, particularly the upper riparian States. It was not possible to enforce the order and that could be seen from orders relating to water disputes concerning the Ravi-Beas, the Narmada and the Krishna, he said.

Calling upon the tribunal not to act on the assessors' reports as it would do injustice to Karnataka, Mr. Nanje Gowda said that even now it was not too late for the disputant States to agree upon equitable sharing of water to meet their "just needs."

"Karnataka needs 408 tmcft for irrigation, and even if it forgoes the 2.25 lakh acres planned to be irrigated in future, which requires 35 tmcft, its committed area of 23.85 lakh acres requires 373 tmcft. In addition, Karnataka needs 57 tmcft of water for drinking, industrial and other needs, taking the total to 430 tmcft," Mr. Nanje Gowda said.

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