Solve Cauvery water row: Karnataka MPs to PM

An all-party delegation of members of Parliament from the state, under the leadership of BJP MP Ananth Kumar, met prime minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday and sought his intervention in the Cauvery water row.

The MPs told him that Karnataka had already released the annual mandatory quantum of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring state had no right to impose restrictions on Karnataka’s usage from Cauvery river basin.

The MPs urged Singh to intervene and advice Tamil Nadu to refrain from indulging in any activity that could instigate passion of people on both sides of the border.

The delegation also drew the prime minister’s attention to severe drought in the state and presented a memorandum for an aide of Rs2,600 crore to take up drought-relief work.

After the meeting, Ananth Kumar said that Singh told them he would speak to the Union home minister to expedite the release of funds meant for drought relief. Regarding the Cauvery issue, the prime minister assured the delegation that he would look into the matter.

Meanwhile, chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday declared in both the houses of state legislature that he would soon lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi to present the state’s objections to Tamil Nadu’s moves on Cauvery’s water and demand liberal grants for drought relief.