Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy has called upon the Karnataka Government to adhere to the order of the Supreme Court and release water from Cauvery to enable farmers in Tamil Nadu and Karaikal in the Union Territory to take up cultivation.
Talking to reporters here on Saturday, he termed the Karnataka Government’s stand not to release water as adamant. This cannot be accepted since the apex court had directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of water for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Karnataka’s stand would only cause confrontation between the judiciary and legislature, Mr. Narayanasamy contended.
According to the Chief Minister, the resolution adopted by Karnataka Assembly not to release water would be detrimental to the interests of farmers in Tamil Nadu and Karaikal as they needed water to take up the next cultivation.
The Karnataka Government should also protect the Tamils and their properties reciprocating the steps taken by Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Governments in safeguarding the Kannadigas.
Referring to the Goods and Service Tax Council meeting in New Delhi, he said that the Centre had accepted his plea that Puducherry should be compensated for any fiscal loss in the event of implementation of the GST regime.
Puducherry would entail a loss of Rs.60 crore per annum if the decision of the council of granting threshold exemption for GST at Rs.20 lakh per annum was implemented. Over 5,500 traders and commercial establishments would now come under the benefit of exemption in Puducherry, he said.
Since Puducherry is a Union Territory with elected Assembly it has also been included under the term State contained in the GST Compensation for Loss of Revenue Bill. He said that Puducherry had been recognised on par with bigger States and included as a member of the GST council.
Mr. Narayanasamy said that the Union Environment Minister for State Anil Madhav Dave had promised to consider the request of Puducherry Government to bring water from Oussudu Lake to the town area for drinking purposes. The government would ensure that water is supplied without damaging the environment and the bird sanctuary in the Lake.
Meanwhile, the Federation of People’s Rights, Puducherry, has demanded that National Human Rights Commission directly investigate the recent attack on Tamils living in Karnataka.
Following the Supreme Court order directing Karnataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, people in Karnataka attacked Tamils. They torched the Tamil Nadu registration buses, lorries, cars vehicles. Sukumaran, Secretary, Federation for People’s Rights said that thousands of Tamils are moving out of Karnataka fearing attack.
He added that against this backdrop, the National Human Rights Commission chairman should investigate the human rights violations reported in that state.
“We have forwarded the complaint to the National Human Rights Commission,” he said.
