The Hindu

The tribunal award has done great injustice to Karnataka, says Janardhana Poojary 

• `All four States concerned should try to find a solution'
• `Karnataka's plight has to be taken into account'

Mangalore, Feb 17:  The State Government should immediately file a revision petition against the Cauvery tribunal award or initiate remedial measures with the concurrence of other three States concerned, Rajya Sabha member B. Janardhana Poojary has said.

Speaking to presspersons after performing a "special pooja" for "an early settlement of the Cauvery issue" at Shri Gokarnanatha temple in Kudroli on the occasion "Mahashivaratri" on Friday February 16, Poojary said the tribunal award had done "great injustice" to the State and the State should immediately seek legal recourse.

He said that Tamil Nadu had also kept its options open for taking the legal recourse, and Kerala and Puducherry might say that they had been given a raw deal in the award. In such a situation, it was better that the four State governments put their efforts together and try to find a solution to the problem keeping aside the tribunal award, he said.

Poojary said that he had appealed to the Government not to notify the award.

`Meet Prime Minister'

A delegation from all four States concerned should meet the Prime Minister and seek a political solution to the problem, he said. All MPs from Karnataka should meet the Prime Minister and the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to apprise them of the aspirations of the people of the State, he added.

He said that there were records since 1990 that Karnataka had released nearly 300 tmc feet of water to Tamil Nadu even when there were drought conditions in the State. But now Karnataka depends on the Cauvery water more than ever before, as the area under cultivation had increased in the State.

The State's plight had to be taken into account while solving the Cauvery problem, he said.

On the resignation of M.H Ambareesh, Poojary said Ambareesh had been a people's man and his resignation had come at a time when the people he represented were in "deep trouble" over the Cauvery issue.