Cauvery issue: TN CM Edappadi K Palaniswami confident of favourable verdict

Speaking to media, before leaving to Tirupati on a family trip, the Chief Minister said the Union Water Resources Secretary has submitted the draft Cauvery Management Scheme in the Supreme Court on Monday.

“The Centre has made certain suggestions in the draft scheme. The Supreme Court will go through the draft and will give its verdict on May 16. I hope Tamil Nadu will get a favourable verdict from the apex court on the Cauvery row,” he said.

The Chief Minister further said the Union Water Resources Secretary has assured that the Centre will implement the order of the Supreme Court. He also praised former chief minister J Jayalalithaa for taking effective legal steps by approaching the Supreme Court in the Cauvery issue.

“Her efforts would bear fruit now for the entire farming community in Tamil Nadu as the case had reached its final stage,” he said. Palaniswami said that his government is always for the formation of the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority.

The Chief Minister, who arrived in Salem on May 11, participated in a string of events over the last three days. He inaugurated the Yercaud Summer Fest on May 12, opened a flyover at AVR round about on Sunday and participated in a function in Erode district.

On Monday, Palaniswami received grievance petitions from the public at his house in Salem district, before leaving to Tirupati by road with his family members.

Meanwhile in Madurai, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, said that the Cauvery draft plan submitted by the Union government in the Supreme Court was due to the constant pressure exerted by the state government. The submission of draft plan is a success to the efforts taken by the state government, he claimed. Addressing reporters at Madurai airport, Panneerselvam, said that when he was on the way to the airport he was informed that the Cauvery draft plan was submitted by the Union government in the Supreme Court. It was only due to the constant pressure from Tamil Nadu government that the Centre came up with the draft plan. “It (Cauvery draft plan) is a success for the efforts of the state government,” said Panneerselvam.

He also said that he had not read the draft plan so far and can comment on the plan only after reading it completely. But he added that he was informed that the plan had details of execution and structure of the body to be set up. After reading the draft plan completely the state government would come up with both the positives and the negatives and if they find any part of the draft plan unacceptable they would present their case in the apex court, said Panneerselvam.

When asked about the party started by Dhivakaran and the notice sent to him by VK Sasikala, Panneerselvam replied that it was their family problem and added that he did not want to comment on the issue.