BANGALORE: President of the Cauvery Protection Committee of Mandya G. Made Gowda on Thursday told MPs from the State that there was no need for them to resign on the issue of the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as it would not serve any purpose.

Speaking to presspersons after chairing a meeting of MPs convened to discuss the next course of action on the Cauvery waters issue, Mr. Made Gowda said that instead the MPs should concentrate on mobilising public opinion against the award and its impact on the lives of the people and farmers in the Cauvery basin districts and the economy.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Samajwadi Party State unit president S. Bangarappa, MP H.N. Nanje Gowda, Union Ministers of State M.V. Rajasekharan and K.H. Muniyappa, Home Minister M.P. Prakash, Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar and Transport Minister H. Cheluvarayaswamy.

The Chief Minister reiterated that he would convene an all-party meeting and a meeting of MPs before the Parliament session that starts on February 23.

Janata Dal (U) State unit president B. Somashekar, former Minister P.G.R. Sindhia and president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha K.S. Puttannaiah also participated in the meeting.

All-party meeting

Many suggested that the all-party meeting be held on February 21 followed by the MPs meeting the next day, so that they could work out a strategy for the Parliament session.

Mr. Made Gowda urged the Chief Minister to move a resolution against the award in the Assembly and get it passed unanimously before the decision on the next course of action.

While thanking all those leaders, organisations and people participating in and supporting the agitation against the award, he appealed to them to continue it in a peaceful manner till the State got justice.

When Mr. Sindhia suggested that Mr. Made Gowda take over the leadership of the Cauvery-Krishna-Mahadayi river water movement, the latter agreed to it.

Mr. Nanje Gowda advocated that the Government should move the Supreme Court with a prayer to annul the Cauvery tribunal's award as it was detrimental to the interests of the State.

Filing a review petition before the tribunal will not be productive, he said.

Mr. Ananth Kumar and Mr. Rajasekharan suggested that a review petition be filed before the tribunal.

Mr. Somashekar said the award should be annulled as it had been delivered in the absence of a national water policy.

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