Cauvery issue: Vatal Nagaraj calls for Karnataka bandh on April 12

The President of Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha, Vatal Nagaraj has called for Karnataka bandh on April 12th opposing the formation of Cauvery Water Management board. According to media reports, Vatal Nagaraj was detained when he was protesting in Attibele town which is close to Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border.

On February 16, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had directed to form the CMB within six weeks in a verdict that marginally increased Karnataka's share of Cauvery water, thus reducing the allocation for Tamil Nadu and settling the protracted water dispute between the two southern states.

As per the apex court's order, the share of Cauvery water for Karnataka was raised by 14.75 tmcft. The court had reduced Tamil Nadu's share while compensating the state by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin, saying the issue of drinking water had to be placed on a "higher pedestal".

By virtue of the SC verdict, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry would be annually entitled to 404.25 tmcft, 284.75 tmcft, 30 tmcft and 7 tmcft of Cauvery water, respectively out of a total of 740 tmcft.

Besides this, 10 tmcft of water would be used for environmental protection and 4 tmcft be kept for inevitable escapades into the sea.