Centre, apex court must ensure Cauvery water for Delta region, says Durai Vaiko

TIRUCHY: The Tamil Nadu government has taken all possible steps to get Cauvery water from Karnataka and now, it is the turn of the Union government to initiate steps and instruct Karnataka to release water for Delta irrigation, said the principal secretary of MDMK Durai Vaiko on Monday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a protest on the Cauvery issue and allocation of proper funds for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Durai Vaiko said, that Karnataka failed to adhere to directions of the Supreme Court and the Cauvery Water Management Authority, kuruvai in more than three lakh acres had withered.

"The State government’s announcement of Rs 13,500 per hectare is not adequate and the amount should be increased to Rs 20,000 per acre", he said.

Meanwhile, Durai Vaiko said, the TN government took all possible steps for getting water from Karnataka but failed.

"So, the apex court and Union government should come forward and instruct the Karnataka government to release water," he said.