Memorandum by JD-U to Gov on Cauvery verdict

Bangalore, Mar 27: The Janata Dal (United) today urged Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi to persuade the Centre not to notify the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) final award and review the order to ensure fair and equitable distribution of the river water among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, a copy of which was released to the media here, JD(U) State President B Somashekhar accused the Tribunal of adopting ''pro-Tamil Nadu and anti-Karnataka stance'' by donating Kerala's share to Tamil Nadu, besides 10 tmc ft of water to Tamil Nadu for environmental reasons, while denying the same to Karnataka though it had the largest bio-sphere forests, world famous Nagarahole and Bandipur sanctuaries.

Stressing the need for a National Water Policy, he said the Tribunal's ''unjust'' order was mainly due to the non-existence of such a policy. ''Though Karnataka has been demanding for the formulation of a National Water Policy since the last four decades, the Centre failed to act due to Tamil Nadu's pressure politics. The Tribunal's final verdict was unscientific, unethical and illegal,'' he added.

UNI