Cauvery award is death warrant: K'taka

Bangalore: Karnataka on Monday described the final award of the Cauvery Tribunal on the inter-state river water-sharing as a "death warrant" on the people of the state in general and farmers of the Cauvery basin in particular

"The verdict is like serving the death warrant on the people of the state and more so on farmers of Cauvery basin,” Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said in the Assembly when Vatal Nagaraj of Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha demanded

that the government spell out its stand on the issue.

The state could challenge the verdict before the Supreme Court or seek relief from the Tribunal itself, he said.

He also assured that the government would move ahead in accordance with the outcome of the all-party meet convened for February 24.

Yediyurappa said that the government was also seeking the support of MPs of the state to raise the issue in Parliament and fight for the state's cause.

Leader of the Opposition in the House N Dharam Singh (Congress) said there was no difference of opinion on fighting the Cauvery issue unitedly, but pointed out that so far the government had not extended invitation to floor leaders for

the February 24 all-party meeting.

Singh alleged that the JDS-BJP government had hatched a conspiracy to blame Congress on the Cauvery issue.