PMK terms Cauvery panel report a ‘betrayal’

Charging that the reports were fully against the interests of the farmers in Tamil Nadu, he said “the report state that due to poor monsoon, both states face acute water scarcity and Karnataka is worse affected than Tamil Nadu. The farmers in Karnataka have committed suicide in considerable number and crops in the neighbouring state have withered largely.” 

The Centre had conspired to frame the report in favour of Karnataka as the state will go for elections next year, he said and added “The reports are completely unacceptable and the committee has not inspected the states thoroughly. The number of farmers, who committed suicide in Karnataka is 1,583 in 2014-15. In this, only 210 farmers belong to the Cauvery basin. On the contrary, a total of 1,195 farmers from Tamil Nadu have committed suicide and 600 farmers belong to the Delta region,” he said in the statement.

The PMK leader demanded the Centre to formulate Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and appoint two representatives from each state to inspect each state and access the situation. He appealed to the state government to move the Supreme Court again in this regard to get the due share of Cauvery water and save the samba cultivation in the Delta region.