The Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha said that the blame for absence of a ‘distress formula’ over sharing of Cauvery waters whenever monsoon fails rests squarely at the doorstep of successive governments in Karnataka.
Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Sunday, September 3, Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha’s General Secretary Prasanna N. Gowda said the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, in its final verdict, has clearly given a provision for a distress formula on the basis of rainfall. Yet, successive governments in the State had failed to work out such a ‘distress formula’ to tide over the crises that raises it’s ugly head whenever there is poor rainfall.
He accused the successive governments in Karnataka as well as the Centre of sacrificing the interests of people of the State to protect their political interests.
The 28 MPs of Karnataka too had failed to protect the interests of the State’s farmers even through Karnataka had been at the receiving end of injustice over sharing of Cauvery waters, he alleged.
No serious efforts appear to have been made to convince the Secretary to the Government of India’s Water Resources Ministry about the ground situation in Karnataka, he said.
Even though records show that 130 taluks had been suffering from drought, the State government has failed to officially declare a drought in these areas and take up urgent relief measures. Along with financial assistance from Centre under NDRF, the State government should also provide compensation to the farmers immediately, he said.
The farmers in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka had sown crops on assurance of the State government before the Irrigation Consultative Committee. But, now in view of the non-availability of water, there is a threat to these crops.
If the government is unable to provide water to the standing crops, a compensation of ₹30,000 per acre should be paid to the farmers, the Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha leaders said.
With just 7.5 tmc feet of water available in KRS reservoir, the Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha leaders wondered how the authorities will fulfill even the requirement of drinking water to households and industries in the Cauvery basin.
