Tamil Nadu CM welcomes Cauvery scheme, says grand victory for Amma government

Chennai: The AIADMK government has welcomed the Central gazette notification of the Cauvery Water Management Scheme, comprising the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, hailing it as "a grand victory for the Amma government and the state's farmers."

Expressing joy that the concerted efforts by the AIADMK and its late leader Jayalalithaa to secure justice for the delta farmers-including her going on hunger strike in the 1990s for Cauvery water--Chief Minister K Palaniswami said in a statement: "This (notification in the Central gazette) is a grand victory for the Amma government and Tamil Nadu's farmers". The rights of Tamil Nadu and the livelihood of its farmers "have been now retrieved".

CM Palaniswami recalled that the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had started in 1970 and charted a difficult path through court battles and public agitations, besides Amma's consistent efforts to get justice that got the final verdict of a Cauvery tribunal published in a Central gazette in 2013.

He also detailed the latest legal battle for water sharing, with the Supreme Court giving its final verdict this February.

The Apex Court had asked the Centre to formulate a scheme for implementation of its verdict, which led to the present Central gazette notification of the Cauvery Scheme, finally, the CM said.

He said the TN counsels had, upon his directions, had forcefully argued in the Supreme Court for setting up an empowered Cauvery Management Board and Campuvery Water Regulatory Committee. The efforts have now yielded fruit.

CM Palaniswami said he had written to Prime minister Narendra Modi on May 26 seeking publishing of the Cauvery Water Management Authority and CWRC in the central gazette before the onset of the monsoon.

The Central gazette notification now was the result of the AIADMK government's sustained efforts and legal battles, he added.