Cauvery dispute: Shettar tells Krishna to ask PM to change decision

New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar met External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Monday requesting him to ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to change his order on sharing the Cauvery water with Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister had asked Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu following the Cauvery River Authority's order. Karnataka, which recently battled a drought, has opposed it.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet Congress leaders from Karnataka on Monday over the Cauvery water dispute. External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, Power Minister Veerappa Moily, BJP leader Ananth Kumar and Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal are likely to attend the meet. This comes amid demands by leaders from Karnataka to review the Cauvery River Authority's decision of asking the state to release 9,000 cusecs of water for Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka has sought a stay on the Cauvery order which directs it to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court is expected to give its decision on Monday.

The Prime Minister had asked Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu following the Cauvery River Authority\'s order.

Meanwhile, intense protests over release of water to Tamil Nadu continued to sweep Cauvery river basin areas for the eighth day on Sunday as Karnataka hoped for a "positive response" from the Supreme Court on Monday on its plea for reconsideration of the September 28 order. The agitators today continued their hunger-strike in Mandya, the Cauvery heartland, and staged a rasta-roko at Maddur-Gejjalagere, disrupting traffic on the Bangalore-Mysore highway. Processions were taken out in Mysore. Agitated farmers demonstrated at several places in Mandya and Mysore districts, raising slogans against the Central and Tamil Nadu governments.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be meet Congress leaders from Karnataka on Monday over the Cauvery water dispute.

External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, Power Minister Veerappa Moily, BJP leader Ananth Kumar and Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal are likely to attend the meet. This comes amid demands by leaders from Karnataka to review the Cauvery River Authority's decision of asking the state to release 9,000 cusecs of water for Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka has sought a stay on the Cauvery order which directs it to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court is expected to give its decision on Monday.

Meanwhile, intense protests over release of water to Tamil Nadu continued to sweep Cauvery river basin areas for the eighth day on Sunday as Karnataka hoped for a "positive response" from the Supreme Court on Monday on its plea for reconsideration of the September 28 order. The agitators today continued their hunger-strike in Mandya, the Cauvery heartland, and staged a rasta-roko at Maddur-Gejjalagere, disrupting traffic on the Bangalore-Mysore highway. Processions were taken out in Mysore. Agitated farmers demonstrated at several places in Mandya and Mysore districts, raising slogans against the Central and Tamil Nadu governments.

(With additional information from PTI)

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)