DMK says Karnataka must abide by Cauvery water release order

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 27 (ANI): Amid the ongoing dispute over the release of Cauvery water, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Thursday said Karnataka is required to abide by the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the directions of the Supreme Court.
Reacting to the issue, Elangovan said the Karnataka government cannot decide unilaterally whether to comply with the authority's directions.
"They (Karnataka government) have to abide by the order of the tribunal, the management authority. Supreme Court had strongly said that they have to abide by the order..." he said.
Elangovan further warned that failure to follow the prescribed legal mechanism could invite action from the Supreme Court.
"If they don't want to follow the law, then the Supreme Court will take action..." he said.
He also defended the decision of the Cauvery Water Management Authority to issue directions on water release, saying such orders are issued after assessing the availability of water.
"The management authority does not issue orders without studying the availability of water..." Elangovan said.
He asserted that the Cauvery river and its water-sharing mechanism are governed by the designated management authority and not solely by the Karnataka government.
"The Cauvery River is under the control of the management authority and not under the control of the government of Karnataka. They might have studied the availability of water before issuing the order..." he said.
The Cauvery water-sharing issue has remained a longstanding point of contention between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with the two states frequently differing over water releases from Karnataka's reservoirs to downstream Tamil Nadu.
The dispute is governed by the framework established through the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and subsequent Supreme Court orders, with the Cauvery Water Management Authority overseeing implementation of water-sharing arrangements.
Elangovan's remarks come amid renewed discussions over water availability and the release of Cauvery water, with Tamil Nadu maintaining that Karnataka must adhere to directions issued under the established legal and regulatory framework. (ANI)