Security tightened in Cauvery basin ahead of Tribunal award

The Karnataka police have stepped up security in the Cauvery basin areas of the State ahead of the crucial final award of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal scheduled for February 5.

The sharing of Cauvery waters between Karnataka and neighbouring Tamil Nadu has been an emotional issue in Cauvery basin districts of Mandya, Mysore and Chamarajanagar, where farmers have routinely resorted to violence against release of Cauvery water to downstream Tamil Nadu.

The state police is evaluating the situation and elaborate security arrangements will be in place in sensitive areas, particularly in Bangalore, which has even witnessed linguistic violence over the Cauvery issue. Additional forces will be deployed in Bangalore and other Cauvery basin areas to pre-empt trouble.

The Karnataka Tamil Federation has sought security for Tamils in view of the final verdict on the vexed issue of sharing of Cauvery waters between the two states.

In a press statement, President of the Federation Shanmuga Sundaram said an appeal has already been made to President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Governor T N Chaturvedi and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to provide security to Tamils living in Karnataka.

Recalling the bloody riots in Bangalore after the Tribunal delivered the interim order in 1991, Shanmuga Sundaram said people from all parts of India live in Karnataka, but some politically motivated persons caused disturbances in the name of Cauvery dispute. “The riots had ruined many Tamil families”, he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who has convened an all-party meeting in Bangalore to discuss the issue, expressed confidence that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal will pronounce its final verdict on apportioning of Cauvery waters without harming the interests of either of the riparian state.

Ahead of the final verdict of the Tribunal, which has held more than 500 sittings during the last 16 sixteen years, the Cauvery Family, a dialogue group comprising of farmers from both the states met at Mandya, and resolved to look forward to the award with an open mind and appealed to the farmers of both the states to maintain restraint.

Convener of the Cauvery Family Dr Janakarajan told reporters that the members of the Cauvery family have resolved to come back to the family forum even if there are differences after the verdict and resolve the issues in the best interest of the farmers of both the states.