TN sets deadline of 6 weeks for Centre to form Cauvery Management Board

Tamil Nadu government on Saturday set a deadline of six weeks for the formation of the Cauvery Management Board.

Speaking to reporters, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said that "the central government must form Cauvery Management Board within six weeks, adding that the state will take its stand only after seeing what is actually done in this regard.

On Friday, Union Water Resources Department had called for a meeting as the apex court in its verdict directed the Centre to put in place a mechanism to ensure implementation of the order within six weeks.

Opposition DMK described as an "eyewash and called for a special session of Tamil Nadu Assembly to discuss the river water dispute.

Stalin wrote to Chief Minister K Palaniswami urging that a special session should be held before the budget session scheduled to start next week, especially in light of "step-motherly attitude by the Centre" shown towards the state on the inter-state dispute involving poll-bound Karnataka.

In his letter, Stalin recalled that he had placed the same demand with Palaniswami during a meeting between the two on March three in order to reiterate Tamil Nadu's stand on Cauvery.

Tamil Nadu wanted the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) as directed by the Supreme Court, which had recently pronounced its verdict on the inter-state dispute involving Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.

On February 22, an all-party meet chaired by Palaniswami decided that the chief minister will lead a delegation of leaders of all parties, farmers and MPs from the state to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Cauvery issue.

The meet had also resolved to urge Modi to immediately set up the CMB and Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority as per the apex courts order to set up the bodies within six weeks.

Karnataka is opposing formation of the board as the state may not have control over reservoirs in the Cauvery basin.

OneIndia News