TIRUCHY: The farmers from Tiruchy who took part in the grievances meet demanded that the union government establish a Cauvery Water Management Board instead of a commission, which has no power to decide on the issue.

The meeting in Tiruchy was chaired by Collector Pratik Tayal, in which Ayilai Siva Suriyan, District Secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, said the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee instructed the Karnataka government to release 12,000 cusecs of water initially this year, but they refused, and it was reduced to 9,000 cusecs, then 6,000 cusecs and on Thursday, the committee recommended releasing 4,000 cusecs but each time Karnataka refused to oblige.

“This is due to the absence of an independent board to solve the issue. The Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal sought the union government to find an independent body to make decisions, but instead of establishing a board, the union government formed a commission which has no power to pressurise any government. The Tamil Nadu government should initiate steps to establish an independent body to discuss water sharing; only then would the issue be solved,” Siva Suryian said.

Meanwhile, P Ayyakannu, State president, Desiya Thennidhiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam, demanded that the State government to approach the Supreme Court to file a case against Karnataka to provide compensation of Rs 1 lakh crore to Tamil Nadu for failing to adhere to the directions of the court. 

“If the state government is unwilling to file a case, let the government allow the farmers to go ahead with filing a petition for compensation. As we have lost the entire kuruvai and samba this year due to water shortage,” Ayyakannu said.