Chennai: Terming the first meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) "historic" in so far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday averred that the state will definitely get the 177.25 tmc ft from Cauvery as ordered by the Supreme Court.
"The meeting was a historical one as far as Tamil Nadu is concerned. The authority has ordered Karnataka to release 31.24 tmcft water in July. We will definitely get the 177.25 tmcft water from Cauvery as ordered by the Supreme Court," Mr Edappadi Palaniswami told the Assembly on Monday.
The authority had ordered Karnataka to release the water after taking into account the storage levels in that state. “During the four-hour meeting, the (interim) chairman of CWMA S. Masood Hussain had discussed various factors involved in the release of Cauvery water.… this meeting has ensured a favourable decision for Tamil Nadu which will get Cauvery water,” Mr Palaniswami said.
The Chief Minister divulged the facts after DMK Deputy Leader Duraimurugan sought to know from the government the outcome of today’s meeting in the national capital and also the quantity of Cauvery water that TN is bound to receive this month.
Giving details on the quantum of water TN would obtain in the coming months, Mr Palaniswami said in August the state would receive 45.95 tmc ft water, while in September Karnataka will release 36.76 tmc ft water, 20.22 tmf in October, 13.78 tmc in November, 7.35 tmc in December and 2.76 tmc ft water in January and 2.50 tmc ft water from February to May, thus totally 177.25 tmc water would be released by Karnataka.
Earlier, raising the issue, Mr Duraimurugan demanded the government to convene an all-party meeting on Cauvery issue, claiming Karnataka government has decided to go on an appeal before the Supreme Court against the constitution of the CWMA. The meeting, he contended, would help to firm up Tamil Nadu's stand on the issue and secure the State's due share of water from the Cauvery.
Responding, the CM said a decision on convening an all-party meeting, as demanded by the Opposition DMK, would be taken depending on the outcome of the first meeting of the newly formed Authority in New Delhi today. “Let us wait and watch what transpires in the first meeting today before we take any further step,” he added.
On Duraimurugan’s contention that Karnataka has planned to approach the Supreme Court on the issue, Mr Palaniswami said the apex court had clearly stated that its orders would hold good for 15 years. “The court has also upheld Tamil Nadu's rights by fixing that 177.25 tmc ft water has to be released to the State. There is no change in it," he added.
The Centre has invited both the state's representatives to the first meeting of CWMA. TN’s representatives have been briefed on the stand to be taken and what TN expects from the authority, he said.
Later, supporting Duraimurugan’s demand, DMK working president M. K. Stalin told reporters that Karnataka Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, following an all-party meeting in that state, was seeking a debate on the Cauvery in Parliament. “There is no need to discuss Cauvery in Parliament as sought by Karnataka Chief Minister. Karnataka is staging a drama,” Stalin said and asked the Centre not to yield to Karnataka's demand.
