Bengaluru: It is a setback once again for Karnataka. The Supreme Court on Friday directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day till October 6. 

The apex court directed the Centre to constitute Cauvery Water Management Board within three days. The court has adjourned the hearing of case to October 6. If it happens, Karnataka is set to lose control over the four reservoirs – KRS, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini – in Cauvery basin.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called an all-party meeting on Saturday evening to discuss the Supreme Court’s directive to the Centre to constitute Cauvery Water Management Board by Tuesday.

If Karnataka follows the Supreme Court’s directive, it has to release 3.1 tmcft of Cauvery water in six days to Tamil Nadu. The apex court has directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water for six days.

Asking the central government to constitute and make functional the Cauvery Management Board in three days, the court observed that it wouldn’t want a situation where “wrath of law will have to follow”. The apex court ordered the board to assess the ground realities and submit a report next week. However, Karnataka remained defiant on the issue and eminent lawyer Fali S Nariman withdrew as the state counsel, citing its refusal to comply with the court order.

On Thursday, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti failed to broker a deal between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery dispute. However, Bharti requested the two sides to resolve the issue outside and move the Supreme Court with a solution to the problem. The union minister went on to add that she would sit on an indefinite hunger strike if tension prevails across the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.

Chief Minsiter on Thursday requested the Centre to constitute an expert committee to study the availability of water the Cauvery reservoir. Earlier, the state defied court orders twice, expressing its inability to release water to Tamil Nadu as it doesn’t have sufficient amount to meet its drinking needs.

Meanwhile, Narayana Gowda of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, has alleged the Tamil Nadu’s lobby behind the Supreme Court’s order to Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. “The Supreme Court’s directive is like a death sentence to Karnataka. It makes us to wonder whether we are in a federal system. Karnataka should not release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu at any cost,” Narayana Gowda said.

Expressing disappointment over the Supreme Court’s directive, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda opined the state’s counsel Nariman should have argued against the directive to constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board since the special leave petition (SLP) of Karnataka is scheduled for hearing in the Supreme Court on October 18. “It is very disappointing. Tamil Nadu wants Karnataka to release Cauvery water at any cost. It has no concern about the farmers in Karnataka. I do not know what the state government is going to do in this regard,” Deve Gowda said.

Coming down heavily on Tamil Nadu for insiting to release Cauvery water, farmers’ leader Kurubur Shanthakumar said the all MPs should meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and explain about the difficulties in releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.