Setting up of any other panel in place of CMB 'unacceptable': DMK

The DMK today continued to press for the immediate constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) by the Centre and said the setting up of any other panel in its place was unacceptable.

A 'special' resolution adopted at the DMK's two-day conference here urged the Tamil Nadu government to ensure the state's rights are upheld in the inter-state dispute involving Karnataka and warned of protests by the party if the ruling AIADMK failed to do so.

The resolution, moved by DMK Working President MK Stalin, referred to a section of reports that claimed the Centre may possibly set up a supervisory committee in place of the CMB, and opposed any such move.

"The Tamil Nadu government should be uncompromising on (the stand of ) setting up of CMB and should not let any other panel to be set up... and it should insist the Centre that CMB should be constituted at the earliest," the resolution said.

If the state government did not do so, the DMK will launch "strong struggles" with the help of farmers and the public on the issue, it added.

It further charged the Centre with "delaying" the setting up of CMB "under some pretext" and urged the state government to exert adequate pressure for its formation at the earliest.

Following the February 16 final verdict of the Supreme Court on the vexed Cauvery river dispute, the ruling AIADMK and opposition parties including DMK have been urging the Centre to constitute the CMB and Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) within six weeks from that day to ensure the state received its due share of water from the inter-state river.