Cauvery water row: K’taka to release 12K cusecs per day to TN

New Delhi, Sept 12 (PTI) Asking both the states to ensurethat "law and order" prevails, the Supreme Court todaymodified its earlier order on sharing of Cauvery water,directing Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs instead of 15,000cusecs per day till September 20 to Tamil Nadu. Rejecting Karnataka’s plea seeking placing in abeyancefor a week its earlier order, the court asked the Executivesto ensure compliance. The apex court bench, which sat on a holiday, was criticalof the language used in the fresh plea of Karnataka seeking tokeep in abeyance the September 5 order asking it to release15,000 cusecs water per day to Tamil Nadu. "In the affidavit of urgency in support of taking up ofthe application for hearing, if we allow ourselves to say so,is absolutely disturbing and to say the least, totallydeprecable…That apart, the application for modificationcontains certain averments which follow the tenor of similarlanguage which cannot be conceived of to be filed in a courtof law, seeking modification of an order. "Agitation in spontaneity or propelled by some motivationor galvanized by any kind of catalystic component, can neverform the foundation for seeking modification of an order," abench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit said, adding theExecutive cannot take the plea of "law and order" for notobeying the judicial order unless it is modified. The citizens cannot become "law unto themselves", it said. "We are inclined to modify the order dated 5th September,2016, to the extent that the State of Karnataka shall release12000 cusecs of water per day and the said direction, shallremain in force till 20th September, 2016. "We expect the inhabitants of states, namely, Karnatakaand Tamil Nadu, shall behave regard being had to the respectfor law and order and the Executive of both the states areunder constitutional obligation to see that the law and orderprevails," it said and fixed the plea for hearing on September20 after the supervisory committee adjudicates it. It said there was no room for non-compliance unless theorder is modified. "Concept of deviancy has no room; and disobedience has nospace. The citizens cannot become law unto themselves. Whena court of law passes an order, it is the sacred duty of thecitizens to obey the same. If there is any grievance, theyare obligated under the law to take recourse to permissiblelegal remedies. The tenor of application filed by Karnatakadoes not reflect so, but, on the contrary, demonstratesotherwise. We decry it," it said. (More) PTI PKS SJK RKS VSCSC