Chennai, Aug 1 (IANS) PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday welcomed the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to approach the Supreme Court to secure the State’s rightful share of Cauvery water, saying legal action was the appropriate course after proposed bilateral talks with Karnataka failed to materialise.
In a statement, Anbumani said the government should move swiftly before the apex court and seek directions to Karnataka to release Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water in accordance with the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).
The PMK leader recalled that the Tamil Nadu government had earlier announced that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay would travel to Bengaluru for discussions with Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Cauvery water sharing and the proposed Mekedatu dam. However, the proposed talks ran into opposition in Tamil Nadu, and protests intensified in Karnataka over the water-sharing dispute.
Subsequently, the Karnataka government conveyed that the prevailing atmosphere was not conducive to bilateral discussions, leading to the proposed meeting being deferred.
Anbumani said Tamil Nadu Law Minister R. Nirmal Kumar had since announced that the State would approach the Supreme Court seeking the immediate release of its due share of Cauvery water.
Officials have indicated that the petition is expected to be filed after August 5.
Welcoming the change in approach, Anbumani said the State government had initially chosen the wrong course by attempting bilateral negotiations but had now moved in the right direction by deciding to seek judicial intervention.
He urged the government to adopt a firm policy of avoiding direct negotiations with Karnataka on both Cauvery water sharing and the Mekedatu reservoir proposal.
According to him, Tamil Nadu’s interests could be protected effectively only by pursuing legal and institutional mechanisms governing the inter-State river dispute.
Anbumani said Chief Minister Vijay, being relatively new to politics, might have believed that a fresh political approach could help secure Tamil Nadu’s water requirements. However, he alleged that Karnataka’s position on Cauvery water remained unchanged irrespective of which political party was in power in the neighbouring State.
The PMK president also urged Tamil Nadu to place comprehensive data and records before the Supreme Court while challenging Karnataka’s actions.
He said the State should strongly oppose the Mekedatu project and seek a stay on the preparation of its Detailed Project Report, while ensuring that Karnataka complies with the water releases mandated under the Cauvery regulatory mechanism.
–IANS
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