TN parties ‘disappointed’, say SC gave too much time to Centre on Cauvery board

india

Updated: Apr 09, 2018 22:06 IST

Political parties in Tamil Nadu were “disappointed” that the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday allowed the Centre time till May 3 to draw up a plan for sharing of Cauvery waters with Karnataka.

The court pulled up the Centre for the delay in setting up of the Cauvery management board (CMB) and turned down its request for a three-month period to come up the scheme for the distribution of water.

The SC observation was a victory for the state, Tamil Nadu law minister CV Shanmugam told mediapersons, as he criticised the Centre for the delay.

Opposition parties were apprehensive that the Centre could delay CMB till after the Karnataka assembly polls, which are to be held on May 12.

The Opposition DMK’s working president MK Stalin said “SC giving time to the Centre till May 3 was very disappointing”.

The Cauvery protests would continue and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be shown black flags during his April 12 visit to the state, Stalin, who is leading a protest march, said at a rally in Thanjavur.

“People should wear black shirts and sarees to express their feelings,” he said, accusing both the Centre and the state government of failing the people of Tamil Nadu.

Pattali Makkal Katchi chief S Ramadoss, too, complained that the Centre was given, too, much time and it might find an excuse to delay CMB.

CR Saraswathi, who leads the AIADMK Amma party, a breakaway faction of the ruling AIADMK, said the Centre was going slow due to elections in Karnataka.

Farmer leader PR Pandian sought the intervention of the President Ram Nath Kovind, requesting him to help the farmers battling drought for almost a year now.

The domestic T20 tournament, Indian Premier League, has been caught in the middle of the Cauvery row. Political parties have demanded that the players wear black bands to show solidarity with the farmers.

Chennai hosts its first game of the season on Tuesday when home team Chennai Super Kings, which is back in IPL after a two-year ban, take on Kolkata Knight Riders.

Security has been stepped up, with 2,000 policemen standing guard at Chepauk and nearby areas. Chennai police commissioner AK Viswanathan said they would ensure the game passes off peacefully.

Putting an end to the decades-old dispute, the Supreme Court had on February 16 raised the 270 tmcft share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu’s share but compensated it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin.