Brickbats from farmers, leaders

They say it lacks teeth, authority

A cross-section of farmers and political leaders on Monday slammed the Cauvery Water Management Scheme 2018 submitted in the Supreme Court by the Central Water Commission.

The leaders contended that the scheme lacked teeth to deliver justice as mandated by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. What was required was an empowered body to direct States to share water, they contended.

‘Impotent mechanism’

“Instead of constituting an empowered Cauvery Management Board as sanctioned by the CWDT, the Central government has drafted a plan to install an impotent mechanism which the Supreme Court must throw out straightaway. Instead, the court itself must constitute a board with powers to ensure water release from Karnataka reservoirs based on the guidelines spelt out in the final verdict of the tribunal,” said Cauvery Rights Retrieval Forum Coordinator P. Maniyarasan.

CPI (M) state secretary K Balakrishnan said the State government must explain whether the scheme had the power to enforce the final verdict of the tribunal including water release from Karnataka dams. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami must call for an all-party meet immediately to discuss the future course of action.

Tamil Nadu All Farmers Association Coordinator P.R. Pandian said that the Centre’s action was absolutely against the interests of Tamil Nadu and was heavily in favour of Karnataka. The scheme was an act of contempt of court besides trashing the tribunal’s conclusions. The Tamil Nadu government must submit a detailed note to the Supreme Court judges explaining the discrepancies in the scheme, he said.

People of T.N. must oppose the scheme as one of the aims of the Central government and Prime Minister Modi was to trample on the legal rights of the State, said K. Kaliappan, treasurer, Makkal Adhikaram.