TN CM ok with Soz on Cauvery Award notification

Chennai, Mar 6: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today agreed with Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz that the Centre could gazette the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal final award only after completing formalities, which could take at least a year.

Reacting to AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa's charge that the DMK government had failed to take steps to get the award gazetted, he said immediate gazetting was not possible as Mr Soz had stated it could be done only after completing all formalities.

The Chief Minister quoted Mr Soz as having said the tribunal had given 90 days time for concerned states to seek clarifications, after which, it would take at least one year to reply to them.

'This is the clarification offered by Mr Soz and I don't think it requires any further clarification,' Mr Karunanidhi said.

Ms Jayalalithaa, in her statement yesterday said only if the final award was gazetted, would farmers receive at least the quantum of water as per the Tribunal's decision and this had nothing to do with filing review petitions before the tribunal.

On Ms Jayalalithaa condemning the DMK government for not taking steps to open the Mettur Dam, Mr Karunanidhi said during the DMK regime, the dam was always opened on the customary date, June 12.

On the contrary, when Ms Jayalalithaa was in power in the last five years, not even once was the dam opened on June 12. In 2002, the dam was opened on September 6, in 2003, on October 7, in 2004, it was opened in August 12 and in 2005, on August 4, he said.

UNI

Related Stories