Mandya:
In a breather to the Karnataka Government, the farmers' body spearheading the stir against release of water to Tamil Nadu temporarily suspended its stir after the Supreme Court adjourned hearing of petitions on the water sharing row to October 19.
"We have temporarily suspended the relay hunger strike in view of Supreme Court adjourning hearing on Cauvery to October 19," Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi President G Madegowda told reporters.
He appealed to the agitators not to resort to road and rail blockade and called for maintaining peace in the region.
Mr Gowda said the Samiti has faith in the Supreme Court and lambasted Cauvery Monitoring Commission (CMC) for awarding release of 8.85 tmc water to Tamil Nadu.
He said the Samiti would chalk out the next course of action after the Supreme Court's ruling on the matter. "We are also awaiting Cauvery River Authority review decision."
Earlier the Samiti had said the farmers would continue its relay hunger strike against CMC's decision.
Former Minister and Vice-President of Cauvery Horatta Samiti MS Atmananda said the body proposed to move the Apex Court or Cauvery River Authority, questioning CMC's award of
8.85 tmc water to the neighbouring state.
CMC had decided at a meeting in Delhi yesterday that Tamil Nadu would get 8.85 tmc of water over the next fortnight.
Karnataka, however, said it would not accept the award.
The "award" of the Committee is based on findings of a central team that visited Karnataka and Tamil Nadu last week.
Sources had said the award is clear that Tamil Nadu "shall receive" 8.85 thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of water between October 16 and October 31.
The Supreme Court agreed to examine CMC's report which reportedly decided Tamil Nadu would get 8.85 tmc of water next fortnight from the river basin to tide over its distress situation.
It adjourned to Oct 19 hearing on the inter-State water dispute to enable Tamil Nadu place on record the directive of the CMC on the issue.
The bench also dismissed a petition by a group of farmers from Karnataka seeking stay of its Sept 29 order directing release of 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.