Chennai: Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday passed a resolution unanimously urging the Centre to direct the Karnataka government to release water to Tamil Nadu as per the directions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority. Moving the resolution, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said, "In order to protect the livelihood of the Cauvery delta farmers, this august House unanimously urges the union government to direct the Karnataka government to release water to Tamil Nadu as per the direction of the Cauvery Water Management Authority."
The leader of opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly and AIADMK's Edappadi Palaniswami said that getting water from Karnataka is tough and all parties in the state will have to unite over this issue.
Adding that national parties have been ruling the state alternatively, he said,"We should put pressure on Centre and make sure we get our share of water from them." Questioning the DMK's stand on the Cauvery issue, EPS said,"We made Parliament stand still for 22 days on Cauvery issue. But you DMK MPs did not raise this issue and put pressure on the Union Government."
Replying to the remarks, CM Stalin said, "Do I have to prove that our MPs have raised the Cauvery issue? The Opposition leader should not just raise issue just like that without any proof." Meanwhile, the BJP staged a walkout from the House during the proceedings.
Earlier Karnataka government had cited severe drought in parts of its state to refuse the supply of water to Tamil Nadu. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on October 5 said that cumulative inflows into the reservoirs in Karnataka's Cauvery basin are decreasing. He also said that water in the reservoirs is just above half of what is needed.