Defer CWMA meet till new govts take charge, chorus in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Political parties and farmers’ groups in Tamil Nadu on Monday urged the Centre to postpone the 50th meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority scheduled in New Delhi on April 29, citing the absence of elected governments in key Cauvery basin states and concerns over potential discussion on the Mekedatu dam project.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Pattali Makkal Katchi and the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, in separate statements, said it would be inappropriate to hold the meeting when Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry are in transition between governments following Assembly elections, with vote counting scheduled for May 4.

CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said the Authority’s meeting should be deferred until elected governments assume office, as officials attending the meeting would not be in a position to present considered views without policy direction. He noted that the Authority was constituted to monitor the implementation of the Supreme Court of India-mandated Cauvery water sharing arrangement, including the annual release of 177.25 tmc ft of water to Tamil Nadu, and to deliberate on inter-State issues concerning the river.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss echoed the demand, stating that the Authority comprises representatives from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry, and any meeting in the absence of full-fledged governments in three of these states would lack legitimacy. He said there would be no objection if the meeting was limited to a routine review of water releases as per tribunal and court orders.

However, Ramadoss expressed apprehension that Karnataka could attempt to push for discussions on the proposed Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery. He warned that without clear political guidance, officials from Tamil Nadu attending the meeting may not be able to take an informed stand, which could adversely affect farmers' interests in the Cauvery delta.

The Tamil Nadu Farmers Association also backed the call for postponement, reiterating that officials cannot articulate the State’s positions in the absence of elected governments. The association’s state general secretary, Sami Natarajan, noted that the Authority plays a crucial role in ensuring monthly water releases and regulating sharing among the basin states, making it paramount to postpone till new governments are elected.

The political leaders and representatives of farmers' associations further pointed out that the agenda for the April 29 meeting has not been made public, raising concerns about transparency and preparedness. They urged the Centre to defer the meeting until new governments are in place in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, or ensure that contentious issues such as the Mekedatu project are not taken up.