TN Opposition holds human chain protest over Cauvery issue

The Opposition parties on Monday formed a human chain to demand constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC).

The nine-party combined opposition led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) also organised similar protests across the state.

On February 16, a three-judge Supreme Court of India bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar pronounced the judgement on the Cauvery Water Dispute between the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the UT of Puducherry.

The bench directed Karnataka to release 177.25 TMC of water, instead of the 192 TMC, to Tamil Nadu.

The apex court also ordered the central government to set up the CMB and the CWRC within six weeks. The court will now hear the matter on May 3.

On April 9, the Supreme Court criticised the Centre and asked it to frame a draft scheme by May 3 for implementation of its February 16 judgment.

The apex court criticised the Centre for neither framing the scheme in six weeks as directed by it nor approaching the court prior to the March 31 deadline to convey that it had difficulties.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the state government is against the formation of Cauvery Management Board (CMB) as it is 'unconstitutional'.

In his letter, he mentioned that the Supreme Court has not directed any mechanism towards the formation of the CMB.