MYSORE: A meeting of farmers from Cauvery river basin in Karnataka has resolved to urge the State Government to reject the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's recent order on constitution of an expert committee to assess the cropping pattern and water requirement of the four riparian states.

The meeting organised under the aegis of Raitha Hitarakshana Samithi, Mandya, and chaired by farmers' leader and former MP G. Made Gowda also resolved to urge the State Government to request the tribunal to proceed and pronounce the final order within the period already prescribed by the Government.

The meeting also appealed to the Union Government not to give more time to the tribunal to pass its final award.

General secretary of Raitha Hitarakshana Samithi, G.S. Raju, told The Hindu that apart from Mr. Made Gowda, the meeting of farmers from Cauvery river basin in Karnataka held in Mandya on Tuesday was attended by former Minister and irrigation expert H.N. Nanje Gowda, jurist Cho Channabasappa, MLA Vatal Nagaraj and former Minister M.S. Atmananda,

The meeting was of the firm opinion that there was no need for an expert opinion as ordered by two members of the tribunal.

Documentary evidence

"The documentary evidence consists of 50,000 documents. In addition to this, expert evidence of the water requirement of the four states, as observed by the Chairman of the Tribunal, was also adduced and the witnesses were cross-examined. Besides, two assessors have already given their expert opinion. With their assistance, the tribunal was fully equipped with all facts required to pass a final award," the resolution said.

The meeting also resolved to urge the Union Government and the four concerned states to approach the Supreme Court, seeking the annulment of the interim order in the interest of farmers of all the states.

Inquiry

The meeting also took note of the fact that the tribunal has already worked for the last 16 years and spent enormous time and labour in holding the inquiry. s"If another expert committee is set up at the fag end of the proceedings, it will result in unnecessary waste of time and avoidable expenditure and agitation," the resolution said.

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