K'taka's reaction to Cauvery award defies federal setup: CM

Coimbatore, Feb 24 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said 'unwanted incidents' in Karnataka after the pronouncement of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award should be construed as a warning to 'disturb the unity and integrity of the nation.' Speaking at a function after laying foundation stone for the Rs 300 crore Tidel Park here, he urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to intervene in the Cauvery issue and press for the implementation of the Tribunal award.

Mr Karunanidhi said the state had been always at the receiving end whenever an issue of sharing the natural resources cropped up.

'On one side Karnataka is creating problems on the Cauvery issue even after the verdict while Kerala enacted laws to supersede the Supreme Court verdict on raising the storage level in the Mullaperiyar dam'.

It would amount to denting the national integrity and federal set up of the country, he said.

Terming the statement of former Prime Minister H D Deva Gowda against Tamil Nadu and the Tribunal award as 'unfortunate', he called for unity among all political parties and public in the state on the Cauvery issue.

He said the Centre should go ahead with the River Linking Project to solve water issues.

About the proposed Railway Division at Salem, he said it would become a reality as per schedule, with the help of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Minister of State for Railways R Velu, though Kerala was creating hurdles.

About welfare measures he said the state government would announce vocational courses for unemployed youth and provide stipends for those who completed SSLC, plus two, graduation and post graduation.

UNI