Karnataka - Mysore   

Swamijis demand Manmohan's intervention on Cauvery issue

Special Correspondent

`Dispute can create enmity between people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka'

FIGHTING FOR CAUVERY: Prominent seers taking out a silent march in Mysore on Tuesday protesting against the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: Pontiffs of various maths under the banner of "Consortium of Mathadhipathis and Religious Leaders" on Tuesday submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister and the President demanding equitable distribution of Cauvery water.

The memorandum, which was submitted through Deputy Commissioner S. Selvakumar after a rally, sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.

"The long-awaited decision of the Cauvery tribunal has disappointed the people of Karnataka and we are firmly convinced that it has only perpetuated the injustice done to our State during the foreign rule more than a century ago. While we can understand that our alien rulers would be insensitive to the just aspirations of Karnataka, we are particularly hurt that a tribunal, from which much was expected, has done nothing to correct the century-old injustice," said the memorandum.

Pleading their ignorance on the technical nuances of the dispute between the two States, the religious heads said they would not venture to suggest what portion of the water of the Cauvery each State should get but said "we feel strongly that this is not a time to look at the dispute from the narrow viewpoint of the technicalities of law and debating point. We think this is the time for a great leader to seize the initiative and solve the problem rather on the basis of human welfare and equity."

Pointing out that they had consulted some experts on this issue and had been assured that injustice had been done to Karnataka, the memorandum pointed out that the tribunal had erred even in the calculation of water requirements of Bangalore.

"It has made a unjustified statement that only that part of Bangalore which lies within the Cauvery basin should receive water from that river. This is as ridiculous as saying that only that part of Delhi as lies within the basin of the Yamuna should receive water from that river. Even if this direction is implemented and the water distributed only among the eligible Bangaloreans as per the tribunal's directive, the quantum of water would come to 15 litres per head as against a requirement of 150 litres," said the Mathadhipathis. Urging the Prime Minister to seize the initiative, the consortium of religious leaders said, "the people of Karnataka feel betrayed and humiliated and we strongly feel this can only be settled by a statesman like you on the basis of human consideration and equity rather than questionable basis of calculations of catchment area, precipitation etc."

Expressing apprehensions that the dispute was likely to create a deep feeling of enmity between the people of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the swamijis said the Prime Minister should intervene positively and find a just solution to the problem and help tide over the crisis and not gazette the award.

A copy of the memorandum was submitted to the President and the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner.

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