Cauvery row: TN govt to approach apex court

In a significant move, an all-party meeting held at the Chennai Secretariat this morning resolved to approach the Supreme Court to secure Tamil Nadu’s rightful share of Cauvery water. The meeting, chaired by Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan, saw the participation of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and leaders of various legislative parties.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Stalin addressed the gathering, emphasizing that despite the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court’s verdict, the Karnataka government has consistently failed to release the mandated minimum amount of water to Tamil Nadu. He highlighted the ongoing refusal by Karnataka to comply with the directives of the Cauvery Water Management Authority, thereby depriving Tamil Nadu of its legal share of water.

Stalin acknowledged the positive and constructive suggestions made by the party leaders on measures to ensure that Tamil Nadu’s rights are upheld and that water is made available to the farmers in the Cauvery delta region. He expressed gratitude for the collective support and underscored the severe impact on farmers last year due to Karnataka’s non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s order, necessitating intervention from the apex court to secure water.

Despite favorable conditions with the southwest monsoon this year, Karnataka’s continued defiance is unacceptable, Stalin asserted. Based on the deliberations of the meeting, the following resolutions were unanimously passed:

The all-party meeting condemns the Karnataka government for defying the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal dated 05-02-2007 and the Supreme Court verdict dated 16-02-2018, as well as for refusing to release water as directed by the Cauvery Water Management Authority.

The meeting urges the Cauvery Water Management Authority to direct the Karnataka government to immediately release water to Tamil Nadu as per the Tribunal’s final award and the Supreme Court’s verdict.

The meeting unanimously resolves to approach the Supreme Court, if necessary, and undertake all legal measures to secure the water due to Tamil Nadu as per the Tribunal’s final award and the Supreme Court’s order.
Chief Minister Stalin assured that the government would take all necessary steps to implement these resolutions and protect the rights of the farmers in the Cauvery delta region.