CHENNAI: CPM State Secretary P Shanmugam on Monday urged that the scheduled meeting of the Cauvery Management Authority on April 29 be postponed, citing the absence of elected governments in key States.
In a statement, he said the Cauvery Management Authority had been constituted to monitor whether Karnataka releases 177.25 tmc ft of water annually to Tamil Nadu, as directed by the Supreme Court of India, and to deliberate on issues related to the river water sharing.
The 50th meeting of the Authority has been announced to be held in New Delhi on April 29.
Pointing out that the Cauvery water issue concerns Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry and Kerala, he noted that Assembly elections are currently under way in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, with counting scheduled on May 4.
In the absence of elected governments in these States, holding such a meeting would not be appropriate, he said.
He further stated that the agenda for the April 29 meeting had not been disclosed. Under such circumstances, officials attending the meeting would not be in a position to present considered views without prior consultation with an elected government, which is the usual practice.
The party, therefore, urged that the meeting be deferred and convened after the formation of elected governments in the concerned States.