Bangalore / New Delhi:
At least 70 people were arrested for holding protests this morning at the Bangalore International Airport by members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike group against the notification of the Cauvery Tribunal award.
This notification, that comes after six years, is meant to settle once and for all the on-going tussle between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the waters of the river Cauvery.
According to the award notified today, Karnataka is to release 182tmcfeet water to Tamil Nadu. In addition Tamil Nadu is to get 10tmcfeet for environmental purposes. Tamil Nadu will have to release 7 tmcfeet to Puducherry.
Karnataka government has been opposing the notification and Tamil Nadu wanting it.
As Karnataka assembly goes to polls in May, the Centre's notification is likely to create trouble for the Congress.
"The union government wants to survive, because of the political strength of Tamil Nadu. We will show the path in Gandhian way and not by any violent method, "said HD Devegowda, the JDS leader from Karnataka.
Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, constituted on 2 June 1990, had passed the final award on February 5, 2007 but the award was not put in operation as the Centre did not notify it in official gazette.
Ticking off the Centre for "flouting the law" for the last five years, the Supreme Court on February 4 set a February 20 deadline to notify Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award, saying it has no discretion or choice but to do so.