New Delhi: Union Territory of Puducherry on Thursday moved the Supreme Court in support of Tamil Nadu for a direction to the Centre to set up the Cauvery Management Board in terms of the February 16 judgment. It will be heard on April 9 along with applications filed by the Centre, TN and Kerala.
The petition filed by counsel V.G. Pragasam pointed out that the February 16 judgment was emphatic while giving a direction to frame a scheme in six weeks and had made it clear that no further extension would be given.
The Centre was duty bound to implement the directions and set up the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee under Article 144 of the Constitution (all authorities to act in aid of the Supreme Court) and there is no escape from it.
It said the Chief Minister Mr. V. Narayanaswamy on February 25 had handed over a memorandum to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the UT for taking effective steps to implement the judgment.
They have already faced two severe drought years. As the South West monsoon will arrive in the first week of June it is necessary that the scheme is put in place before the onset of monsoon.
Tamil Nadu has already filed an application seeking initiation of contempt against the Centre for not setting up the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee within the time limit of six weeks.
According to the State the Centre had deliberately and willfully disobeyed the court orders.
The Centre in its application while seeking three months extension for implementing the direction has asserted that notifying the constitution of Cauvery Management Board during the time when Assembly elections in Karnataka has been announced by the Election Commission would lead to massive public outrage, create serious law and order problem and may vitiate the election process.
