TN presents Modi with memo on Cauvery

Amidst statewide protests, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately set up the Cauvery Management Board.

He presented a memorandum to Modi, who was on a whirlwind visit to inaugurate the DefExpo and a function at the Cancer Institute. Widespread protests in Chennai and several parts of the state greeted the Prime Minister after the Centre failed to set up the CMB despite being told to do so by the Supreme Court.

In the memorandum, Palaniswami recalled the February 16 Supreme Court verdict that said that a scheme be formulated by the Central government within six weeks to "implement the notified final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as modified by its judgment".

On April 9, the apex court clearly stated that the final order of the CWDT had "merged with the judgment of the Supreme Court", he said.

It said that, therefore, constitution of the Cauvery Management Board had become an "integral part of the Supreme Court's judgment".

Delta areas are dependent on Cauvery water for irrigation and they were fervently hoping that the implementation machinery would be constituted by the Centre to enable them to commence the agricultural operations in the next irrigation season which starts on June 1, the memorandum said.

Modi was urged to immediately constitute the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee "vested with all powers to effectively implement the orders of the Tribunal and the Supreme Court".

--IANS

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