TN parties to file review-petition on Cauvery

Chennai, Apr 15: An all-party meeting convened by the Tamil Nadu government today unanimously decided to file a review- petition before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) to protect the rights of the State on the vexed Cauvery Water issue with Karnataka.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at the meeting, chaired by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and attended by leaders of various political parties and representatives of Cauvery Delta Farmers Association.

The meeting also decided that if the need arise, the government would also move the Supreme Court to get its due share of water from Karnataka.

It said Karnataka had misunderstood that the final award of the Tribunal favoured Tamil Nadu and had been taking steps to move the Supreme court to get a stay and also to prevent its notification in the Government Gazette.

''As far as the Tamil Nadu is concerned as a first step, it has been decided to file a review-petition before the tribunal, stressing its rights and requirements. Later, if the need arise, the government will also move the Supreme Court to protect the State's interest,'' the resolution said.

The draft-review petition prepared by the State Government was circulated to all the parties and their views heard for finalising the review petition to be filed before the Tribunal.

The Government had prepared the draft petition after consulting legal and technical experts to seek guidelines and explanations under Section 5(2) of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act.

The meeting, convened by the ruling DMK, was attended by all the parties, including the Opposition AIADMK, its ally the MDMK, allies of the DMK and the DMDK of actor-politician Vijayakanth and the BJP.

UNI