Jaya urges Govt to move SC on Tribunal's award

Chennai, Feb 6: Expressing dismay over the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's award, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today urged the state government to immediately move the Supreme Court to secure enhanced quantity of water.

Flaying the DMK government for welcoming the award, the AIADMK leader, in a statement here, said the 192 tmcft of water, ordered to be released to Tamil Nadu by the tribunal in its final award was less than the 205 tmcft of water ordered in its interim award.

Stating that there was nothing to welcome in the final award, Ms Jayalalithaa alleged that the award, marked Mr Karunanidhi's ''continued betrayal'' in the issue and demanded the DMK government's resignation owning moral responsibility.

Of the 192 tmcft of water, if Tamil Nadu apportioned seven tmcft of water to the Union Territory of Puducherry, as directed by the tribunal, its share of water would go down to just 185 tmcft of water, which was 20 tmcft less than what was ordered in the interim award, she said.

On the tribunal apportioning 30 tmcft of water to Kerala, she said this was totally waste as Kerala did not have enough ayacut areas, warranting 30 tmcft of water for cultivation. The water would only to waste and flow into the sea, she said.

Moreover, the tribunal's directive to release six tmcft of water to Kerala from Bhavani river would pose a grave theat to the farmers, especially those in the Bhavanisagar area, she said.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had only welcomed the order, saying he was happy about the verdict, she said.

Stating that it was not a welcome order, Ms Jayalalithaa said the only option left before Tamil Nadu was to move the apex court immediately and secure enhanced quantum of water.

Ms Jayalalithaa said during the pendency of the case before the apex court, the state government should take some effective steps and prevail upon the Congress led UPA government at the Centre to get the Tribunal's order notified in its gazette. The state government should also ask the Central Water commission to constitute the monitoring committee as suggested by the tribunal and ensure that Karantaka implemented the monthly-wise release schedule.

Even while ensuring that Karnataka implemented the Tribunal's order, Tamil Nadu government should pursue the case in the apex court and ensure that it gets additional quantum of water, she suggested.

However, it was highly doubtful, whether Mr Karunanidhi would take such steps as he had vested interests in Karnataka.

He would not antoganise Karnataka as his family was running six Kannada TV channels in the state, she alleged.

Charging Mr Karunanidhi with betraying the state on the Cauvery water issue ever since he became the Public Works Minister in 1967, Ms Jayalalithaa alleged that even after becoming Chief Minister in 1970, he had allowed Karnataka to build the Hemavathi dam and in 1974, failed to renew the Cauvery river water agreement and withdrew the case filed before the Supreme Court.

Whenever Mr Karunanidhi becomes the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, he would act in favour of Karnataka, considering the interest of tv channels run by his family members, Ms Jayalalithaa charged.

UNI

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