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Karnataka warns Tamil Nadu of blocking Krishna waters

Karnataka Major and Medium Irrigation Minister K N Nage Gowda today warned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi that the state might have to reconsider release of five tmc of the Krishna waters for Madras under the Telugu Ganga scheme.

Talking to newsmen in Bangalore, he said such a course of action would become necessary if Karunanidhi continued to link the implementation of the interim award of the Cauvery water dispute tribunal with the implementation of the fourth stage Cauvery project for augmenting drinking water supply to Bangalore city.

Gowda's remarks have lent a new dimension to the ongoing tussle between the two states arising out of Tamil Nadu's letter to the Overseas Economic Co-operation Fund of Japan directly to stop its over Rs 12 billion assistance to the drinking water project.

Gowda urged Karunanidhi to view the Cauvery water project on humanitarian grounds.

He said there was no need for such an objection by Tamil Nadu as the state was diverting 9.46 tmc ft of Cauvery waters from its own share for the drinking water project. Against this, the state was foregoing its share of five tmc ft of the Krishna waters to help Madras get drinking water, he added.

He appealed to Karunanidhi not to politicise the issue.

Gowda, reacting to leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's decision to keep away from the all-party team to inspect the Upper Krishna Project on July 1 and 2, said this only meant that he was shying away from his responsibility.

Kharge was party to the assembly decision for a visit by an all-party delegation led by Chief Minister J H Patel, following allegations of irregularities in the implementation of the UKP. The dates had been changed only on the request of the Congress due to the proposed visit of its party chief Sonia Gandhi.

UNI

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