Delta ryots upset over some provisions, dam control in plan mooted by Centre

According to Mannargudi S Ranganathan, the General Secretary of Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, if the authority had to function on the basis of the majority decision and water would be released only if six members agree, it would be problematic. “They would easily derail the entire process,” he said.

Pointing out that the indication by the Union government that the reservoirs would be under the control of the states, the veteran farmer said, only the maintenance of the dams should be under the control of the states. The release of water should be under the control of the management board or the authority, he insisted. He wanted the board to immediately take over the management of dams and rivers.

PS Masilamani, the state deputy secretary of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association and a farmer from Tiruvarur said, the Union government should have used the term Cauvery Management Board (CMB) as specified in the final award of the CWDT and should not have left the issue to the Supreme Court. He pointed out that the final award of the CWDT gave powers to the CMB to decide the quantum of water during distress periods and also to release the same.

Meanwhile, Puliyur A Nagarajan, state president of Tamil Manila Congress (Farmers’ wing), urged that if the final judgment of Deepak Mishra committee on Wednesday fails to satisfy the farmers needs, all farmers from the state should join together and register a strong protest.