South's SorrowBe Damned

The Krishna government is contemplating seeking a review of the directive, issued by a Supreme Court constitution bench, to ensure adequate flow of the waters. "We’ve asked our law department and lawyers to consider the implications of seeking a constitutional review of the directive," a minister said. Under the inter-state River Water Disputes Act, only a tribunal could adjudicate in a dispute over sharing of waters.

The other line of defence would depend on the outcome of a visit by a six-member Cauvery Monitoring Committee, headed by Union water resources secretary A.K. Goswami. The panel proceeded to the Krishna-rajasagar reservoir where thousands of Karnataka farmers had gathered seeking more water for themselves and demonstrated against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

"We will have a wrap up meeting on September 27 here," Goswami said. They later called off their tour to Kabini and Mettur when the Tamil Nadu government protested that the matter was sub judice.