Tamil Nadu to seek crop loss damages from Karnataka

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced that the State government would file a suit before the Supreme Court seeking directions to Karnataka to offset the losses incurred by Tamil Nadu due to the crop loss in delta areas as a result of Karnataka’s failure to release Cauvery water for irrigation.

“Karnataka, adopting an adamant attitude,  has failed to release water due to Tamil Nadu as per the orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. The Cauvery Monitoring Committee has also recorded this fact. On the basis of these facts, I have directed the authorities to file an Original Suit before the Supreme Court claiming damages from Karnataka,” the Chief Minister said in a statement here.

Jayalalithaa said Karnataka’s failure to release water had affected the Kuruvai and Samba crop to a great extent, besides affecting hydel power generation.

Recalling the steps taken by her government to protect the crop, including grants provided to farmers, she reiterated her promise to provide appropriate compensation for the crop loss.

The compensation will be provided for the loss based on a report to be submitted by a high-level committee headed by State Finance Minister O Panneerselvam which visited the delta areas recently.

A petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government before the apex court on January 17 seeking direction to Karnataka to release at least 12 tmcft of Cauvery water, is coming up for hearing on January 28.