NEW DELHI: A day after the Supreme Court order, the Central government on Tuesday said that it will submit a draft scheme for implementation of the Cauvery water award before the May 3 deadline.
The apex court had pulled up the Central government for not drawing up the scheme to implement its judgment on the distribution of the Cauvery water among the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.
“We have already started internal discussions with experts on the possible scheme now that the Supreme Court has given us flexibility. We will submit it before the deadline,” said top sources in the ministry.
The Central government had sought three months extension and cited law and order issues that the constitution and notification of the scheme could cause in poll-bound Karnataka.
The apex court has left it open-ended for the Union government to decide the composition of the members of the scheme.
The Centre in its submission before the Supreme Court has cited divergent views from party states on the scheme.
Another clarification sought by the Central government was whether the Board framed under 6A of ISWRD Act, 1956 can have functions different from the ones recommended for Cauvery Management Board by Cauvery Management Dispute Tribunal.
The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to frame a comprehensive scheme and it will be shown to all the states before final decision.