AIADMK MPs urge PM to have Cauvery-related plea in SC withdrawn

Asks Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board as directed by the Supreme Court

Members of Parliament of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Ministry of Water Resources to withdraw its Interlocutory Application filed in the Supreme Court in the Cauvery water case. The State Government once again asked the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) immediately.

The MPs, led by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambi Durai, submitted a memorandam at the Prime Minister's Office and also met Union Minister for Water Resource Uma Bharati on the Cauvery issue.

The Ministry of Water Resources had, on October 3, filed an Interlocutory Application in the Supreme Court seeking modification of its September 30, 2016 order to constitute Cauvery Management Board. The Ministry had said the CMB could not be constituted by the by October 4 deadline, a submission that sparked protests by all parties and farmers.

In the memorandum, the MPs have asked the Prime Minister to direct the Ministry of Water Resources to withdraw the Interlocutory Application dated October 3 forthwith and to immediately comply with the orders of the Supreme Court dated September 30 and constitute the Cauvery Management Board at once.

"We are at a total loss to understand what caused this sudden reversal. The Government of India's stance in the latest Interlocutory Application filed on 3.10.2016, is at total variance with the stance taken in the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The stand taken by the Government of India is against the State of Tamil Nadu and its farming community. It is also duty bound to uphold the majesty of law and the decision of Hon'ble Supreme Court and Final Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal," said in the Memorandum.

Tamil Nadu's Chief Secretary Rama Mohana Rao also wrote a letter to Shashi Sekhar, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources requesting action to withdraw the Interlocutory Application forthwith an constitute the CMB as per apex court's directions.