Chennai: Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to constitute the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee as per the Supreme Court direction.
The CM, in a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister in New Delhi, recalled that the Centre, during the hearing of the Cauvery case in the Supreme Court, promised to constitute the CMB on or before October 4 this year. The Union government requested the states to nominate their members and Tamil Nadu nominated its member immediately.
“But, in an explicable turn of events, the Centre changed its stand and stated that the scheme for the implementation of Tribunal's decision should be placed before Parliament”, the Chief Minister said. “It is not clear whether the ministry of water resources had apprised the Prime Minister about the issue before changing its stand”, he said, and added that in no case was the implementation of tribunal awards was placed before Parliament by the Union government.
It appeared neither appropriate nor fair for the ministry of water resources to take a different stand on CMB, which is an integral part of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, the Chief Minister said.
He also requested the Union government to advise Karnataka not to proceed with the Megedatu project or any preparatory activities, including feasibility reports, as it would violate the final order of the tribunal.
The CM further wanted the Prime Minister instruct the Kerala government to give the necessary clearances for strengthening the Mullaiperiyar dam as per the direction given by the Supreme Court on May 7, 2014. He also opposed the legislation on dam safety and National Water Framework Bill, saying that they should not be brought without consensus.
He asked the Centre to denotify bulls as 'performing animals and amend Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to exempt Jallikattu so that it could be held during this Pongal. He also opposed the introduction of three languages and facilities for teaching Sanskrit in schools in the draft New Education Policy.
On the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, he said democratic decentralisation should be the springboard for the process of securing the right to self-determination through which the island Tamils could eventually realise the aspiration of Tamil Eelam. He also urged the centre to take measures to bring to book those in Sri Lanka who had perpetrated the genocide of Tamils in Lanka.
The Chief Minister sought protection of the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay, besides abrogating the 1974 agreement to retrieve Katchatheevu.
The CM sought the early sanction of a scheme to diversify bottom trawlers into sea tuna long lines. He also requested for sanction of Rs. 420 crores to provide deep sea fishing infrastructure facilities.
