Kamal Haasan appeals to PM to set up CMB

Veteran actor and Makkal Neethi Mayyam founder-president Kamal Haasan today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) at the earliest.

"My appeal to the prime minister is, please sir, you have the authority to create this CMB and you must do it. Please," Haasan said, addressing a news conference here.

"The prime minister can do (it) if he wants to. It is a simple, basic requirement. The people of Tamil Nadu and the farmers require water," he added.

The chorus for setting up of the CMB and Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) in the state has been growing by the day ever since the Supreme court gave its verdict on February 16 on the vexed issue involving Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Tamil Nadu's stand is that Centre must constitute the panels within six weeks from the day the apex court gave its verdict, which would be March 29, i.e. today.

Besides the ruling AIADMK, various political parties including the DMK besides several farmers' outfits have been stressing for setting up of the CMB to ensure that Tamil Nadu gets its due share of water from the inter-state river.

Haasan's contemporary, 'Superstar' Rajinikanth too had tweeted earlier in the day backing the establishment of the CMB, saying it was the "only just solution acceptable to all."