New Delhi : The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal will pass on May 10 its final orders on the appointment of a three-member experts committee to go into the crop pattern and water requirements in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala and Pondicherry.

On April 21, when the tribunal concluded arguments, its members N.S. Rao and Sudheer Narain, passed an order for the constitution of the committee.

Chairman N.P. Singh, in a separate order, expressed disagreement. In view of the difference of opinion, the members said their order would be tentative and asked the parties to file their response. They said whether the order was absolute or not would be decided on May 5.

When the matter was taken up, Additional Advocate-General of Tamil Nadu R. Muthukumaraswami said the State had filed all relevant documents and notes on assessment of crop water requirements, and it was willing to provide any further clarification. But, he said, the proposed committee would delay the proceedings. In the interest of all the party States and their inhabitants, the final award should be given as soon as possible as the matter had been pending for 16 years.

Anil Divan, senior counsel for Karnataka, read out its reply. "States were given opportunity to lead oral evidence and witnesses on each side had been examined, cross-examined and re-examined over a continuous period of 96 months and thereafter detailed arguments were advanced on the sufficiency of evidence or otherwise in respect of crop water requirement." In these circumstances, it was neither fair nor appropriate, particularly at this stage after the conclusion of arguments, to reopen any of the questions as proposed in the order of the two members of the Tribunal. "Moreover, any investigation into crop water requirement would be time-consuming and would lead to interminable delay in passing the final order/decision."

Senior counsel Raju Ramachandran, appearing for Kerala, said he shared the stand of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. All the material based on which the State assessed its crop water requirement in the various project reports was before the tribunal.

The appointment of a committee of experts at this stage would delay the proceedings indefinitely, he said.

Senior counsel A.S. Nambiar, appearing for Pondicherry, said the inhabitants of the Karaikal region, which is at the tail-end, had been waiting for the past 16 years and were anxious to get their share of Cauvery water. Any further investigation would indefinitely delay the final award.

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