Tamil Nadu expected to stick to its stand over CMB

The apex court had observed on Monday that the term ‘scheme’ used in the judgment does not mean the Cauvery Management Board only. The contempt plea was listed for hearing on April 9 and any notice in the issue would take a minimum of four weeks. Sources said that such a delay would give the leeway which the Centre was looking for considering its high stakes in the Assembly elections in neighbouring Karnataka.  The notices would be returned by second week of May. “Centre might seek a little more time by then the polling would be complete in Karnataka where Assembly elections is scheduled to May 12,” an official said. 

Official sources here stated that the Centre appeared to be wishing away CMB while the state would insist the apex court to direct the Centre to frame a scheme by providing for a CMB and a Cauvery Water Regulation Committee(CWRC) as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s order of 2007. 

The state is likely to advance its argument to implement the Tribunal Award even if it was only a scheme irrespective of the nomenclature but set up on the lines of Bhakra Beas Management Board. In its petition, the state government stated that the Centre was bound to give effect to the final judgment of the Supreme Court by framing a scheme so that the authorities under the scheme are put in place within stipulated time which culminated on March 29. It has also accused the Centre of refusing to act to protect the interests of the farmers and the larger interests of the state. 

Post-deadline, the Centre moved the SC for a 3-month extension for the implementation of the court order. The Centre maintained that it would like to delve into the ‘sensitive’ Cauvery issue after the elections.