TN pours cold water on Karnataka’s hopes for talks on Cauvery

Tamil Nadu has poured cold water on Karnataka’s hopes for arriving at a negotiated settlement to the century-old dispute over sharing of Cauvery waters between the two riparian states.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s reported refusal to hold talks with his Karnataka counterpart on the Cauvery issue has caused disappointment in the political establishment in Karnataka.

Tamil Nadu’s categorical refusal comes a day after Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had raised hopes of a negotiated settlement over the Cauvery tangle by claiming that he had spoken to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister over the telephone on the matter and the latter had reacted positively to the idea.

Though embarrassed by the sudden development, the Government of Karnataka chose to react cautiously. The Chief Minister’s office issued a statement stating that Karnataka still hopes to find an amicable solution to the Cauvery issue through negotiations.

Kumaraswamy had already made it clear that the Karnataka would pursue the legal course on the Cauvery issue independent of the mutual talks with Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka has already rejected the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal’s final award and decided to move the Supreme Court over the issue and file a review petition before the Tribunal.