Set up 3-member experts committee on Cauvery: Tribunal

New Delhi, Apr 21 (UNI) The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal today asked the Centre to appoint a three-member expert committee to go into the crop pattern and water requirements of the four riparian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Pondicherry.

The two-one verdict, however, did not have the sanction of Tribunal Chairman Justice N P Singh who maintained that a fresh committee would have far reaching implications and delay the entire process.

He said the Tribunal has been functioning for 16 years and the appointment of an expert committee now would virtually create a parallel proceeding and it might take another 10 years for the committee to give its report.

The two members of the tribunal, however, said the material before the Tribunal were inadequate for arriving at a just conclusion on the water requirement of each State. Therefore, it was necessary to seek the expert opinion on the cropping pattern in the four states since 1974.

The expert committee would comprise two agronomists and one meteorologist and they would submit their report within three months from the date of constitution of the committee by the Union Government.

The two members of the tribunal also asked the four states to respond to this order within one week and adjourned the hearing to May 5 indicating that whether today's order would be made binding on the government that day.

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