Expecting favourable order on Cauvery: CM Palanisamy

Intervening Leader of the Opposition MK Stalin during the debate on the budget, the Chief Minister, while referring to his poser on the steps taken by the state government on the Cauvery issue and on the Mullaiperiyar dam row with Kerala, said all steps would be taken to secure Tamil Nadu’s due rights on the inter-state issues. 

Referring to Stalin’s poser on non-formation of Cauvery Management Board as mandated by the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, Palanisamy said the DMK was part of the Union Government when the final award of the Tribunal was delivered in Feb 2007. He said, “DMK had neither notified the final award in the Government Gazette, nor it had taken any steps in that direction.” 

“Only due to the persistent and concerted efforts made by former CM J Jayalalithaa and the number of letters written by her to the Prime Minister, TN got a favourable verdict from the SC and the final award was notified in the gazette,” Palanisamy recalled. 

Pointing out that the case pertaining to the setting up of the CMB was pending before the SC now, the CM exuded confidence of getting a favourable verdict. 

The Chief Minister also sought to know what the DMK did on the issue when it was part of the Centre for three years till 2010 after the final award was pronounced in 2007. Asserting that the AIADMK government always stood by the farmers and their welfare, Palanisamy blamed the DMK for the present plight of the farmers. 

“If DMK, despite being part of the Government at the Centre, taken steps to notify the final award in the gazette and formed the CMB, the farmers would have not pushed to the present situation,” he added. On the Mullaiperiyar issue, Palanisamy said thanks to the legal battle waged by Jayalalithaa, the storage level in the dam was increased from 136 ft to 142 ft.