The Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations in Tamil Nadu has urged the State government not to indulge in any activity that might reduce the importance of Cauvery Water Management Authority.
Talking to reporters at Mannargudi on Sunday, Committee president P. R. Pandian said the Authority had come forward to function autonomously after the appointment of the permanent Chairman and all dams in the Cauvery Basin in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had been brought under its purview.
A Monitoring Committee had also been formed, but the Karnataka government was trying its best to cripple the functioning of the autonomous body.
Such being the case, it would be better to avail the consent of the CMWA before initiating or implementing any drinking water project in the basin though there was no bar in execution of such schemes under the Cauvery Tribunal order.
Urging the State government to set an example in availing the legitimate rights over the Cauvery water by the people of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Pandian exhorted senior officials to provide proper guidance to the government.
If the Tamil Nadu government decided to avoid getting the Authority’s consent, it would definitely pave way for Karanataka to adopt the same route by going ahead with its objective of constructing a dam across the Cauvery river at Meketadu.
The policymakers and the bureaucrats in Tamil Nadu should refrain from indulging in any activity that might bring disrespect to CWMA and, thereby, provide an opportunity to Karnataka in achieving its ulterior motive to impound even the surplus water flow into Tamil Nadu, he added.
