CHENNAI: The two Communist parties strongly feel that the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre has a role to play in allaying the apprehensions about the impact of the final verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), particularly when passions are whipped up in neighbouring Karnataka.

State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) N. Varadarajan, who along with Central Committee member T.K. Rengarajan and State secretariat member K. Balakrishnan called on Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Monday told The Hindu here on Tuesday that Central intervention at this stage was necessary to create and set in motion a proper implementation machinery.

Since the future of lakhs of people was involved in the issue, the Centre should not remain a spectator as in the past. It should hold discussions with the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to set up a commission to ensure proper sharing of water between the two States, more particularly during the distress period, he said. Mr. Varadarajan also stressed the need for launching an awareness campaign by the Centre and the State Governments with regard to the CWDT's final order and its impact on both the States by exhibiting short-films and advertisements.

Maintaining unity

State secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) D. Pandian said the Centre always had a role to play in such sensitive issues with a view to maintaining the unity of the country, besides warning those State Governments which misguided the people.

Both Mr. Varadarajan and Mr. Pandian shared the Chief Minister's view that the verdict had provided solace to the people, as it had put an end to the long-drawn legal battle, though it had not solved all questions.

Review petition

Referring to Mr. Karunanidhi's remark that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government would file a review petition before the CWDT, the CPI (M) leaders had told him that there was nothing wrong in seeking explanations on different clauses of the final order. However, such a move should not be aimed at dragging on the case but to sincerely implement it, Mr. Varadarajan said.

"The very fact that some political parties backed by the Government of Karnataka had been instigating the people to indulge in violent protests makes it clear that Tamil Nadu has not lost much [owing to the final order], though the State's needs also may be high," said Mr. Pandian.

Linking of rivers

Though both the Communist parties felt that inter-linking of peninsular rivers could offer a lasting solution to the inter-State river disputes, they stressed the need for uniting the people in the four southern States and the Union Territory of Puducherry for this purpose as a prelude to this massive project.

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