Favouring a long-lasting solution to the Cauvery dispute outside the purview of the court and tribunal, Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Thursday mooted a three-point approach, including building two reservoirs and formation of a mediation committee of experts.
At a meeting with his Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa in Bangalore, he said: "...we may have to consider a way to find an amicable and long-lasting solution outside the purview of the court and the tribunal, if possible. The Cauvery has remained a complicated problem, especially during the distress years".
Shettar said the two states have to see how they can find ways and means to meet such distress situations which come once in about four or five years.
"Building reservoirs in the reach below Shivasaumdram (Karnataka) and Mettur (Tamil Nadu) to increase storages in the reach to overcome such difficulties in distress year would be a step forward in the interest of both States", he said.
Such reservoirs can be of use for storage in surplus years, regulation, power production and other uses helping both the states. An expert committee can be set up with representatives of both states and the Central Water Commission to look into the proposal and also evolve action plan which can be implemented in a given time frame.
Secondly, mediation committee of experts can be formed with representatives from both the states to evolve distress formula, he said.
To have a disciplined agricultural practice in the irrigation command in Cauvery basin in the two states, to improve the irrigation structures and thereby improve the efficiency, to bring in savings in current consumption and use of modern technology, an experts committee with farmers representatives on both sides needs to be set up.
"Government of India assistance is required to both the states to take up measures to achieve the above objectives", Shettar told Jayalalithaa.
He said Jayalalithaa did not offer any response to the three-point approach but insisted that Karnataka immediately pass an order to release 30 TMC ft in the next 15 days.
