Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday sent an SOS to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to save the withering Samba crops in delta districts of Tamil Nadu by notifying the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal at once.
A few days ago, she had written to the PM demanding the notification of the final order at the earliest.
Presenting the grim situation at Mettur Dam, which supplies delta districts with water for irrigation, the Chief Minister, in her letter to the PM, reiterated her demand for the notification of the final order of the Cauvery Tribunal at once so that release of water to the State could be ensured.
“I hope you will consider the plight of the farmers and agricultural labourers of Tamil Nadu and instruct the Ministry of Water Resources to notify the final order forthwith. I shall be thankful for your urgent action in this matter. Expecting an immediate, favourable reply,” she said.
“The storage position in Mettur reservoir has reached a precarious position on December 21 (8.8 tmcft) and a calamitous situation prevails in the Cauvery-fed districts of Tamil Nadu. The situation in delta areas has become grim affecting the livelihood and survival of millions of farmers of Tamil Nadu,” the CM pointed out.
Jayalalithaa said, this year, Tamil Nadu had been made to run from pillar to post to get its due share of water from Karnataka, while Karnataka continued to utilise all the waters of Cauvery river, with scant regard to the plight of the lower riparian State.
She said notification of the final order of the Cauvery Tribunal without any further loss of time and formation of the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee could bring into force the final order which could not be implemented till date. Besides, the withering crops can be saved to some extent, she added.