Tamil Nadu urges Centre to constitute Cauvery Management Board

Tamil Nadu had appointed R Subramanian as its representative in CWMB in terms of the final order of the Tribunal

Seeking "justice" on the Cauvery row, Tamil Nadu government has urged the Centre to constitute Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB) as per Supreme Court directive, asking it to withdraw an application in the apex court seeking modification of its order.

Referring to the Interlocutory Application (IA) filed by Centre in the Supreme Court on Monday, the state government said it was "against the assurance given" by it to the court on this matter.

Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao told Secretary of Water Resources Ministry, Shashi Shekhar, in a letter on Monday that the court had on September 30 recorded Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi's submission that CWMB can be constituted on or before October 4.

In the letter released today, Rao also recalled the AG had submitted that Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry have to nominate their representatives as per the final order passed by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

Based on Rohatgi's submission, the court directed the three states and the Union Territory to nominate their members on or before 4 PM of October 1 and the AG had further submitted that after the CWMB was constituted, "it can proceed to the site forthwith to take a prima facie view of the ground reality," Rao noted.

Tamil Nadu had appointed R Subramanian, Chairman, Cauvery Technical Cell, as its representative in CWMB in terms of the final order of the Tribunal, after the Water Resources Ministry had written to him in this regard, Rao said.

Referring to Centre's IA filed on Monday, Rao said it was "against the assurance given by the learned Attorney General to the Honourable Supreme Court".

"We are unable to understand what caused this sudden reversal in Government of India's stand. In the circumstances, I request you to kindly take action to withdraw the IA filed by the Government of India forthwith and constitute the Cauvery Management Board on or before 4th October, 2016, as directed by the Honourable Supreme Court in its Order dated 30.9.2016 and render justice to Tamil Nadu," he said.

Rao noted that Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had in the September 29 meeting of Executive heads of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka convened by Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti had recalled she had repeatedly urged Centre to constitute the CWMB.

Jayalalithaa's speech was then read out by Rao.