Tamil Nadu: Cauvery Management Authority just an eyewash, claim farmers

CHENNAI: The Cauvery Water Management Authority, which has been notified by the Centre after a prolonged legal battle, may not of much help for Tamil Nadu, opine farmer leaders and a few political leaders.

P Maniyarasan, president, Tamil Desa Periyakkam and Cauvery Urimai Meetpu Kuzhu, said in a release that two notifications had been published in a government gazette earlier over the Cauvery dispute. The first one was the interim award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal published in the gazette on December 11 in 1991, but it was not implemented. The second one was the final award of the tribunal published in the gazette on February 19 in 2013. But, as per the final award, Cauvery Management board was not constituted. “Even, now the Centre has notified the authority in the gazette only as an eyewash. The Centre is yet to constitute a proper board,” he said.

Some have questioned the appointment of a ‘temporary president’ to the authority. “The Supreme Court verdict only speaks about the president for the authority. There is no provision in the court’s order for a ‘temporary president’,” K Venkataraman, general secretary,  Tamil Desa Periyakkam, told Express.

P Shanmugam, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to the CPM, said that the publication of the notification in the gazette and appointment of temporary president for the Cauvery Water Management Authority are all cheating the court’s order. Everyone knows, the temporary president can’t take any decision over sharing of the water. It would only help Karnataka delay implementation of the final award. Hence, the State government should take decisive steps to get the Cauvery water due to our State to ensure kuruvai cultivation, at least this year.”

GS Dhanapthi, State vice-president, All India Farmers Forum, told Express,” The dispute is over sharing the Cauvery water during times of shortage. Hence, the tribunal ordered constitution of an independent body like the Election Commission and the CBI to resolve the dispute among the states concerned. But, the Centre has appointed a temporary president. It wouldn’t help solve the issue as temporary president has no power to issue any order. Hence, we, the farmers, feel that the appointment of temporary president is one more cheating effort of the government.”

GK Vasan, president, Tamil Manila Congress, said that there is no victory without getting the Cauvery water from Karnataka. It would be considered as victory only after we got water for the kuruvai cultivation. Hence, the gazette publication and appointment of temporary president for the Cauvery Water Management Authority didn’t get positive response from the farmers and outfits of the State.

‘Will move SC against CMA’
Karaikal: Senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Sunday said that the Karnataka government would move Supreme Court against the formation of Cauvery Management Authority. Addressing media persons outside the  Thirunallar temple on Sunday, Shivakumar said, “We (Karnataka) have been meted great injustice with the formation of the authority when it (water) is acutely short for our people.”