Tamil Nadu   

Water release authority demanded

J. Venkatesan

State appeals to Cauvery Tribunal "It should be vested with powers to frame rules and regulations for all the reservoirs and diversion works in the system"

NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu Government on Friday forcefully pleaded before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal to set up an authority to administer and control all the specified reservoirs in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to ensure timely release of due share of water to each State as per the final award of the tribunal.

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Pondicherry are the parties before the tribunal that comprises Chairman Justice N.P. Singh and Members N.S. Rao and Sudhir Narain.

Appearing for Tamil Nadu, senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan assisted by the State Additional Advocate-General, R. Muthukumaraswami and counsel G. Umapathy argued that the Tribunal, while giving its final award, should establish the Cauvery Valley Authority to give effect to and implement it.

Counsel said the authority should be vested with powers to frame rules and regulations for all the reservoirs and diversion works in the system.

It should have powers not only to implement the final award but also ensure carry over storage of water in the reservoirs.

Specified reservoirs

The application filed before the tribunal stated: "Specified reservoirs will mean all reservoirs in the Cauvery Valley having a gross capacity of 3 tmcft and above and will include Krishnarajasagar, Hemavathi, Harangi, Kabini, Nugu and Yagachi in Karnataka and Mettur, Bhavani and Amaravathi in Tamil Nadu."

It wanted the authority to have the power to specify the remedial steps and punitive damages payable by the State concerned if the tribunals' decision was violated.

"If there is any deficiency in the release of water, the authority should ensure that the due quantum of water is made up within the timeframe specified by the authority."

State suffers

During the arguments, counsel submitted that Tamil Nadu was suffering due to the illegal obstructions above Mettur. Further, when the State suffered for want of water, Karnataka wasted it by taking up summer irrigation.

Tamil Nadu empathised the need to ensure double crop in the Cauvery basin as it provided a risk-free kuruvai crop and employment to lakhs of agricultural labourers.

Further, single crop was susceptible to vagaries of the northeast monsoon and very often the crop suffered, counsel said.

Arguments on March 6

Further arguments will continue on March 6. Tamil Nadu is expected to complete its submission in a day or two and, thereafter, Karnataka and others will reply.

The entire hearing will be over by March-end, paving the way for submission of the final award before August, when the tribunal's term will end.

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