From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 22: Even as Karnataka’s political parties, especially the ruling Congress and opposition BJP, are engaged in a bitter war of words and trading charges against each other even before the announcement of the State assembly poll schedule, there was complete unanimity with regard to the question on whether to file a review petition before the Supreme Court against its recent final verdict on the Cauvery dispute and the spate of challenges against the Cauvery tribunal’s award.
The all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Thursday to discuss the fall-out of the apex court’s verdict on the Cauvery issue, unanimously decided against filing a review petition before the apex court on the issue.
The meeting was attended by Union Ministers Ananth Kumar and D V Sadananda Gowda as well as senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and other State Cabinet ministers.
The all-party meeting, however, decided to impress upon the Centre to establish an equitable and fair dispute resolution forum in consultations with all the other riparian states in the Cauvery basin, which includes Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
It may be recalled that the three-member bench of Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India Deepak Mishra had allocated an additional 14.75 tmcft of water to Karnataka by reducing the share of Tamil Nadu and even allowed a portion for Bengaluru to meet its ever-increasing drinking water needs.
The decisions against filing the review petition and appealing the Centre to constitute a fair and equitable dispute resolution forum were taken based on the suggestions by the legal team, led by Fali S. Nariman, Water Resources Minister M B Patil told reporters after the meeting.
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said that the Centre would establish the dispute resolution forum after consultations with the all riparian states in the Cauvery basin.
Patil said the concerns of MPs and Ministers from Karnataka had been heard.
The legal team comprising Nariman and Sham Diwan suggested against filing a review petition in the Apex Court, the minister said.
The Supreme Court in its verdict rejected the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal’s recommendation on formation of the Cauvery Management Board and suggested formation of the scheme for addressing grievances.
Already the Union Water Ministry Secretary has sought the opinion of the four states, including Karnataka, on the formation of the Forum.
The Chief Secretary of the State had already written to the Union Ministry and suggested the formation of the Forum, Patil said.
Karnataka’s Members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have agreed upon the suggestion given by the legal team and it was unitedly decided to safeguard the interest of the State, Patil said.