TN hails Tribunal's final verdict as grand success

Chennai, Feb 5: The Tamil Nadu Government today hailed the much-awaited final verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as a 'grand success' for the state.

''The award is satisfactory and will be beneficial to delta farmers. It is a grand success for Tamil Nadu,'' State Public Works Minister Duraimurugan, who was camping in New Delhi at present along with Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, told sources over phone.

He expressed satisfaction over the Tribunal's direction to Karnataka to ensure release of 192 tmcft of water at Biligondlu, the last point of Cauvery in that state.

This was besides 25 tmcft of water for environmental purposes, which would mean the actual realisation of water for Tamil Nadu would be 217 tmcft, Mr Duraimurugan added.

The Tribunal's final award for Tamil Nadu was 12 tmcft more than the allocation of 205 tmcft in the interim award delivered in 1991.

The Minister also welcomed the Tribunal's award of specified quantum of water to Tamil Nadu during the crucial cultivation period of 'Samba' and 'Kuruvai' from June to September.

UNI