Cauvery Tribunal defers its decision to May 10

New Delhi, May 5: The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) today deferred to May 10 its final order directing the Centre to appoint a three-member expert committee to go into the cropping pattern and water requirements of the riparian states.

After considering the submissions and hearing the views of the four riparian states about the April 21 interim order, chairman of the tribunal N P Singh said the CWDT would pronounce its orders on May 10.

All the riparian states, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, had taken a united stand urging the CWDT not to enforce its order passed by two of its members--N S Rao and Sudheer Narain.

Ordering the constitution of the experts panel would result in indefinite delay of the proceedings, they added.

The CWDT itself was set up 16 years ago and the final order should be given as early as possible, they said.

Mr Singh, in a separate order, however, disagreed with his members.

Following the differences within the Tribunal, the members decided to seek the response of the states.

UNI