Chennai: Terming the Central gazette notification of the Cauvery Water Management Authority as "some relief" to Tamil Nadu, DMK working president M.K. Stalin has demanded the Centre and State governments to guarantee the opening of the Mettur dam on June 12 to facilitate agricultural operations.
Blaming the Centre for the "delay" in notifying in the official gazette, Mr. Stalin said on Saturday that there were no mention on the nomination of chairperson and members to the Cauvery Water Management Authority in the notification. "Though the notification gives relief to some extent, the Centre and State governments should ensure the opening of Mettur dam on June 12 to facilitate Kuruvai cultivation," Mr. Stalin said.
The notification, he claimed is a "victory to the people who had launched the agitation (demanding the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board) and also the Supreme Court, which exerted pressure on the Central government."
The DMK, which had earlier announced to boycott the Assembly session, which began on May 29, has decided to participate from June 4 to "uphold democracy" and perform its duties as a "constructive opposition" party.
IIn the resolution, DMK said it had earlier announced boycotting the session as it wanted to draw people's attention towards the government which did not heed to its demand to convene the Cabinet to adopt a resolution for permanent closure of the plant. "Due to this boycott, people have come to know about the anti-democratic tendency of the AIADMK government," it said.
The DMK had announced to boycott the Assembly session demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister on the Sterlite issue. Violence had erupted on the hundredth day of protest demanding the closure of Vedanta group's Copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi on May 22 leading to the death of 13 persons allegedly in police firing. The DMK had held the police and state government responsible for the violence and has demanded the Edappadi Palaniswami government to resign.
