CHENNAI: Strongly criticising Chief Minister MK Stalin for failing to exert timely political and legal pressure on Karnataka to ensure the release of Cauvery water to save the standing crops in delta districts, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday urged the chief minister to take a firm stand on this issue by convening an all-party meeting.
The leader of opposition in the state assembly alleged that the DMK was "backing" the Congress government in Karnataka "with a view to ensuring the businesses run by its family members" there should not be affected.
The AIADMK general secretary also charged "puppet CM Stalin" with lacking any foresight, saying he released water from the Mettur Dam in Salem on June 12.
In a statement here, Palaniswami said the chief minister could have approached his Karnataka counterpart in a friendly manner during the INDIA Alliance meeting held in Bengaluru to ensure the release of water or at least Stalin could have used the meeting held in Patna. Just like the Aam Aadmi Party agreed to take part in that meeting on a condition, the DMK president should have put the release of water as a condition for attending that meeting. Stalin could have avoided taking part in the meeting in Bengaluru.
“But doing nothing, Stalin has been betraying the people of Tamil Nadu by hiding behind the central government, which is unacceptable. Standing paddy on 3.5 lakh acres in delta districts has withered as the farmers did not get water for irrigation. In the rest of the areas, cultivation is going on using well water,” Palaniswami added.
"What should the DMK government, which lacks efficient administration, do? It should have reduced the quantum of water released from Mettur Dam and ensured Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water from Karnataka for the months of June, July and August as per the law and through political pressure," he said.
The DMK government was in "deep slumber" all through, used up the water in Mettur Dam, pointed fingers at the Centre for the sake of doing so but did not do anything constructive on the matter.
If Stalin was "really concerned" about the people of the state, including those from the Cauvery delta areas, he could have taken up the matter with the neighbouring state when he went to Bengaluru to attend the swearing-in of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in June, the former CM said.
He could have held friendly talks then and ensured the release of water when Karnataka had adequate storage in its reservoirs, Palaniswami said.
"I insist this government show concern for farmers at least now, convene an all-party meeting and take a firm step to uphold Tamil Nadu's rights on the Cauvery issue and ensure water to the state," he demanded.
(With inputs from PTI)