BANGALORE: A delegation of Janata Dal (United) leaders headed by State party president

B. Somashekar on Tuesday appealed to Governor T.N. Chaturvedi to prevail upon the Centre not to notify the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and to seek a review of the award.

The JD(U) delegation, which met the Governor after the completion of its four-day `awareness jatha' in the Cauvery basin districts, told him that there might be violence leading to a major law and order problem if the Centre went ahead with the implementation of the final award by notifying it.

People in the Cauvery basin in the State were of the opinion that the tribunal award was one-sided and favoured Tamil Nadu. There was serious resentment against the award and tempers were running high, said the delegation, which included J.C. Madhuswamy, MLA.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, Mr. Somashekar alleged that the main reason for the "unjust award" was the failure of the Centre to formulate a national water policy.

`Persuade Centre'

He urged the Governor to persuade the Centre to formulate a national water policy to help water disputes tribunals arrive at a fair and equitable distribution of inter-State river waters.

He argued that the final award of the tribunal, which had been announced in the absence of such a policy, was "unscientific and illegal." The award had failed to address the drinking water concerns of cities and towns in the Cauvery basin, he said.

After meeting the Governor, Mr. Somashekar told The Hindu that Mr. Chaturvedi had assured the delegation that its concerns would be brought to the notice of the Prime Minister.

The JD (U) had embarked upon a four-day Jala Jana Jagruthi Jatha under which the party leaders had toured all the four Cauvery basin districts in the state under the leadership of Mr Somashekar.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail