Cauvery: Siddaramaiah asks Centre not to meet Jaya's demand

New Delhi, June 10: The Centre must not set up the Cauvery river water management board under pressure of

Chief Minister

since the matter is pending in the Supreme Court,

Chief Minister

said after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi here along with other delegates.

Siddaramaiah called a meeting of all political parties in the state legislature on Monday to discuss demands that Jayalalithaa have placed before the BJP-led central government. The Tamil Nadu CM has sought setting up of the Cauvery Management Board to implement a water distribution plan as per a seven-year-old order of the Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal.

On Tuesday, the Karnataka CM said the setting up of the Cauvery Management Board has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the matter has been included with civil cases questioning the final award of the tribunal.

Jaya is in favour of a water distribution plan as per the 2007 tribunal

"The government of India must not come under the influence of the Tamil Nadu chief minister and order the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board. There are indications from media reports that the government is proceeding in this direction. The government of India must guide the prime minister properly on the legal position in the matter," Siddaramaiah said.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former law minister MC Nanaiah, who was present at the all-party meeting on Monday, said it would be premature for New Delhi to order setting up of the management board since the matter is before the apex court.

According to the 2007 final award of the Cauvery River Disputes Tribunal, Karnataka has to release 192 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu in a normal monsoon year. The order, however, did not spell out the sharing formula for distress years. Karnataka, however, has claimed rights over 465 tmc of water as opposed to what the tribunal laid.

Oneindia News