Cauvery: Farmers in State keep their fingers crossed

Farmers in the Cauvery basin are keeping their fingers crossed over the developments on the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board by the Centre which is facing a contempt petition for its “failure” to implement the apex court’s ruling.

The apex court had directed on February 16 that a scheme be framed to oversee water allocation within six weeks and the deadline ended on March 29, following which Tamil Nadu government filed the contempt petition against the Centre.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is in the middle of campaigning in Mysuru, said the State was committed to uphold the interest of the farmers and had already submitted a detailed project report on the Mekedatu drinking water project.

He also said the Supreme Court’s directions on constituting a scheme was issued to the Government of India and it was for it to take necessary action. He discounted the possibility of the issue having any impact on the elections in Karnataka or the Tamil Nadu bandh affecting law and order situation in the State.

Losing control

But the development has perturbed farmers who are apprehensive of the formation of the board. Their fears stem from the possibility of the State losing control over the reservoirs in the Cauvery basin, including the KRS, Kabini, Harangi, and Hemavathy once the board is constituted. This would also mean a decline in their bargaining power with the authorities on the release of water or holding the government accountable.

Hence the farmers have warned the State government of massive agitations in the entire region if the government fails to uphold their interests. The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and the Hasiru Sene members said the verdict on sharing of Cauvery water among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala was unscientific and it failed to protect the interests of the farmers in Karnataka.

Shambhunahalli Suresh, district president of the KRRS, said this being the case, farmers feared that forming the board would jeopardise their interests.

“The Cauvery water sharing is a sensitive issue and the Centre should not take political advantage as the livelihood of thousands of farmers and their families depends on availability of water,” he said.