CHENNAI: Expressing happiness over the notification of Cauvery scheme as approved by the Supreme Court in the Union Gazette, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday said “With this notification, the rights of Tamil Nadu over Cauvery water and the livelihood of farmers of the State have been reclaimed. It is a great victory for the State government as well as the farmers.”
Thanking all those who worked for this victory, the Chief Minister, in a statement here, recalled the long legal battle waged by the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for achieving this logical end to Cauvery dispute. The present government too acted on the path shown by her and took consistent efforts to realise the formation of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) through the notification of the Cauvery scheme.
Tracing the origins of the Cauvery issue, Palaniswami said since early 1970s, Tamil Nadu has been fighting for the rights over Cauvery water and due to incessant efforts of Jayalalithaa, the final award of the Tribunal was notified in Union Gazette on February 19, 2013. The Supreme Court had, in its verdict dated February 16 this year, directed that the Cauvery scheme should be implemented within six weeks.
“When there was delay, I took it up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in person and through letters. AIADMK MPs stalled the proceedings of the entire session of Parliament held between March 5 and April 6 demanding the Cauvery scheme be put in place immediately,” he added.
Later, a contempt petition against the Centre was filed on March 31. Finally, the Supreme Court approved the draft scheme submitted by the Centre on May 18 and directed it to notify it ahead of the impending monsoon. In this connection, on May 26, Tamil Nadu government wrote another letter to Centre seeking immediate notification of the scheme. The Centre also accepted the demand of Tamil Nadu to have the headquarters of CWMA at Delhi and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee at Bengaluru.