Jaya asks TN CM to take stand on Cauvery verdict

Chennai, Feb 9: AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of theOpposition J Jayalalithaa today urged Chief Minister M Karunanidhi tospell out clearly whether he opposed or endorsed the final award of theCauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

Tamil Nadu's share in the final award was 20 tmc ft less than theinterim award and even the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), an ally of theruling DMK, had made this point, she said in a statement here.

But, Mr Karunanidhi had been 'voicing support to Karnataka' by saying Tamil Nadu would get 210 tmc ft of water, she charged.

Ms Jayalalithaa said the crux of the issue was determining thequantum of water that Karnataka should release and not the availabilityof Cauvery waters within Tamil Nadu.

The 25 tmc ft of water between Billigundulu and Mettur was madeavailable 'by nature' and not Karnataka. The final verdict had givenonly 192 tmc ft, of which seven tmc ft would go to Puducherry, leavingthe State with only 185 tmc ft, she said.

The Congress was 'reluctant' on the issue as it had a base inKarnataka and the Leftists had also approached it on similar lines.

'But why should Mr Karunanidhi support Karnataka,?' the AIADMKsupremo asked and alleged it was due to his 'concern for family welfareand business interests.' She said Mr Karunanidhi should get justice forthe State in issues like Mullaperiyar, Palar and Cauvery 'with the samealacrity he showed for getting specific portfolios in the UnionGoverment.' Charging the Chief Minister with misinterpreting herearlier statement on the Tribunal's award, Ms Jayalalithaa said she hadonly been advocating that efforts should be made simultaneously to getthe award published in the Union Gazette and move the Supreme court toget more quantum of water.

UNI

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