Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that he would be leaving for Delhi tomorrow to meet Prime Minister Narendran Modi to discuss the situation arising out of Supreme Court’s judgement to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Addressing media persons after presiding over the Cabinet meeting to discuss about the law and order situation in some parts of the state, especially in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that he had not received any reply from the Prime Minister’s Office to his letter requesting to convene Chief Ministers’ meet to discuss Cauvery water issue. “Today Karnataka Chief Secretary contacted the Prime Minister’s Office seeking an appointment with the Prime Minister on Wednesday. There was a positive response from the Prime Minister’s Office. If all goes well, the meeting is expected to take place tomorrow. I want to pressurise the Prime Minister to convene a meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa,” Siddaramaiah said.

Miscreants will be dealt with iron hand

Appealing the people in the state, especially in Bengaluru, to main peace, the chief minister said that instructions were given to the police to deal miscreants with iron hand. “I appeal the people to maintain peace in the state. People should not take law into their hands. No one should damage public property. Stringent action will be taken against those who indulge in violence,” the chief minister said adding that violence is not a solution to the problem.

Curfew

Stating the situation, except a few stray incidents, in curfew-bound areas in Bengaluru remained peaceful, the chief minister said Bangalore Police Commissioner will take a decision on lifting the curfew. “We will lift the curfew as soon as normalcy returns,” the chief minister said. It may be recalled the Bengaluru Police Commissioner had clamped curfew on areas under 16 police stations in the city.

Tough to implement SC order but…

Describing Supreme Court’s judgement on September 5 as a difficult one to implement, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has considered the Supreme Court’s order on September 12 as the most difficult one to implement. It may be recalled the Supreme Court had modified its earlier order on September 12 after hearing Karnataka’s plea for modification of its earlier order (Sept 5). As per the modification order, Karnataka has to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till September 20. “The modified Supreme Court order is a setback to Karnataka. As per this order, we have to release 18,000 cusecs of extra Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. As per earlier order the total quantum of water to be released was 1,50,000 cusecs of water. Now it is 1,68,000 cusecs of water. It is difficult but we have no other option than obeying the Supreme Court’s order,” the chief minister said.

Water for irrigation and drinking

The chief minister said the state government would take all measures to ensure water to protect the standing crops in the Cauvery basin. “Water is being released for irrigation purpose as per the guidelines fixed during the Irrigation Consultative Committee (ICC) meeting. I am assuring to ensure supply drinking water to Bengaluru, Mandya, Mysuru and other villages,” the chief minister said.

Compensation

The chief minister said the state government had announced Rs 10 lakh compensation to the kith and kin of deceased Umesh. “It is very unfortunate. I want to convey my condolences to the family of the deceased person. I came to know that one more person died of injuries. It was said that he was not died due to either police lathicharge or firing. He accidentally fell from a building,” the chief minister said.

Around 100 vehicles burnt

Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said that miscreants had burnt 97 vehicles (78 vehicles in the city and 19 vehicles outside Bengaluru) during the incidents of violence on Monday. Parameshwara said some miscreants had damaged 44 vehicles in the city and 59 vehicles on the outskirts of Bengaluru. “So far we have arrested 335 people for induling in violence in the city. The number of arrests will go up since police are verifying the footage of CCTV cameras and videos of TV channels. The police will arrest those who indulged in violence. The violence in Bengaluru had compelled police to use tear gas 16 times to control the mob on Monday,” Dr Parameshwara said.
He said the state government has taken all measures to protect Tamil-speaking people in Karnataka. “We have escorted around 300 vehicles with Tamil Nadu registration numbers up to Tamil Nadu border,” he said.