The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CMA) constituted by the Centre would ensure that Tamil Nadu gets its due share of Cauvery water, in accordance with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s directions and the Supreme Court’s order, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said here on Sunday.
As per the gazette notification issued by the Centre, the States that were party to the dispute should nominate one representative each to the two supervisory bodies. The two riparian States of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry had promptly nominated their representatives, he said.
However, Karnataka was yet to nominate its representatives to these bodies. As a result, the Centre had nominated members on Karnataka’s behalf and had constituted a nine-member Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
Mr. Palaniswami said the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee would calculate and ensure the release of Tamil Nadu’s share of water once every 10 days, and the CMA would monitor the same.
Defends green corridor
The Chief Minister expressed hope that Tamil Nadu would get its rightful share of water regularly hereafter. When asked about the opposition from the farming community to the Salem-Chennai green corridor, Mr. Palaniswami contended that the project would immensely help in accelerating the economic and industrial growth in the State.
“The number of passenger car units, which stood at 1.07 crore when the Bengaluru–Krishnagiri–Salem and the Salem–Attur –Chennai National Highways were built more than a decade ago, has since increased to 2.57 crore. This road is a must to meet the [pressures of the] growing number of vehicles [plying the roads],” he argued.
Denying the claim that farmers were against the project, he said, “The vast majority of the farmers have extended their support to the project, and have come forward to hand over their land and other properties, accepting the enhanced and unprecedented compensation package. Only four or five farmers are opposing the project and instigating others.”
The survey work had already been completed for a length of 56 km in Dharmapuri district and 30 km of the 36.3 km in Salem district, and boundary markers had been installed.
In Salem district alone, the district administration conducted 20 public hearings, in which more than 1,200 farmers took part and extended their support to the project, Mr. Palaniswami claimed.
He said that the Collectors of the districts through which the road will pass had already released compensation and relief and rehabilitation packages for the affected farmers and residents.
As part of the rehabilitation package, the government was planning to provide free house site pattas and construct green houses for small farmers who owned only quarter- or half-acre lands.
On the airport expansion project, Mr. Palaniswami said it was of utmost necessity and was unavoidable. The district was expected to get a defence hub, which would pave the way for a large number of new industries, and a big airport was the need of the hour, he said.
Responding to the criticism from certain quarters of the split verdict of the Madras High Court in the case concerning the disqualification of 18 ruling party MLAs, Mr. Palaniswami said he was of the view that no one had the right to criticise court judgments.
