MK criticises AIADMK's demand for gazette notification

Chennai, Mar 3 (UNI) Criticising the opposition AIADMK for demanding immediate gazette notification of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said it might hamper the state's move to prefer an appeal before the Tribunal.

Citing Section 6(1) of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956, he said once the Centre published the final award in the official gazette, the decision would be final and binding on the parties to the dispute.

Referring to the AIADMK's memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to notify the Tribunal's final award in the gazette, Mr Karunanidhi said the party had taken a stand contradictory to the ''unanimous'' decision taken at the all-party meeting convened to finalise the state's strategy on the issue.

In a statement here, he said the all-party meeting, in which the AIADMK also participated, unanimously decided to file a review petition before the Tribunal with regard to ''adverse effects'' of the final award for the state.

However, no decision was taken at the meeting to petition the Prime Minister to notify the award in the gazette, the Chief Minister pointed out.

Mr Karunanidhi said the state government had been taking appropriate steps on the issue as per the Inter-state Water Disputes Act, 1956.

He said parties to the dispute could seek clarification or prefer an appeal before the Tribunal within three months after the final award was delivered. Only after the Tribunal heard the petitions and delivered judgement on them, the final award could be notified in the official gazette, he clarified.

UNI