BANGALORE, July 25: Karnataka declared today that it was specifically opposed to the setting up of a statutory, regulatory authority to monitor the implementation of the Cauvery Disputes Tribunal interim award directing the state to release 205 TMC ft of water to Tamil Nadu. Announcing this, Law Minister M C Nanaiah said that the state would stick by its stand that a coordination committee be formed.A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting attended by Karnataka's Advocate General, Irrigation Department officials, members of the Cauvery high-power committee, Major Irrigation Minister K N Nage Gowda besides Nanaiah, to discuss the situation arising out of the August 12 deadline set by the Supreme Court to the Centre, to spell out its thinking on Tamil Nadu's demand for setting up an authority.Nanaiah revealed that the Supreme Court had been made aware of the state's position in this regard, he said. Talking to media persons here, he said the water sharing dispute between the state andTamil Nadu should be settled amicably through negotiations.Nanaiah said Karnataka had all along been opposing the interim award, as it could not be implemented.He recalled that justice A M Ahmadi, during his tenure as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition on the Cauvery, had observed that a small body should be created to monitor water flows and Karnataka was in agreement with it.He pleaded that the apex court should explore the possibility of settling the issue amicably.Reacting sharply to the views maintained by Tamil Nadu MPs that the Cauvery dispute could not be solved through talks, Nanaiah warned that Karnataka would have to take a similar stand.Tamil Nadu, he alleged, had been exploiting Karnataka `liberally' on the water sharing issue.Again, urging the Centre to evolve guidelines for a National Water Policy, he said unless this was done, the problem would remain.
