PMK suggests meeting of CMs to solve inter-state water rows

Chennai, May 20 (UNI) Pattali Makkal Katchi Founder-leader Dr S Ramadoss today suggested that the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu should sit together and sort out the vexed Cauvery, Mullai Periyar and Palar river water disputes amicably.

''The joint meeting of Chief Ministers in the presence of the Prime Minister will help the states resolve the inter-State water disputes. If we hold separate talks with each chief minister as suggested by Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, it will only lead to further delay in arriving at a solution,'' he told newspersons here.

He said Tamil Nadu should take action to ensure that the State got its share of water as per the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and other legal fora.

Earlier, Dr Ramadoss, along with party president G K Mani, called on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence here and held about an hour-long discussions. The meeting was termed a ''courtesy call''.

Dr Ramadoss said he had asked Mr Karunanidhi to pressurise the Centre to get special State category for Tamil Nadu as the State was facing acute water shortage and thus should get more water.

He said he had also suggested to Mr Karunanidhi to take the initiative for nationalisation of rivers and bringing rivers under the Centre's concurrent list as it would pave the way for nationalisation of rivers.

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