Draft scheme for Cauvery, a clear win for TN: Law Minister

“For Tamil Nadu, there was nothing as such for it to hold on to get its fair share of water from Karnataka. The situation has changed with the submission of the draft scheme. Now we have a draft scheme and it will pave way for an organisation to be set up. We are not bothered as to what its nomenclature could be, but of the powers and authority it wields to implement the final orders of the Supreme Court. The Union government has left the Supreme Court to christen the organisation as it deems fit,” the Minister said.

To a query, Shanmugam said, “For once, the Centre has complied with the orders of the apex court on the Cauvery issue. The Centre was otherwise seeking time and coming up with excuses for not doing it. For this, I should thank the Centre.”

The Minister also reasoned that the delay caused by the Centre’s stand that the draft scheme requiring a Cabinet clearance as illogical. “The order was issued by the SC. The Union Water Resources Secretary should have prepared a draft scheme and submitted the same. The scheme which is to be submitted in the court does not warrant the Cabinet’s nod,” he reasoned further.

Asked to respond to the draft scheme, the Minister maintained that they were yet to go into the draft and would present their views in the court on its conformity with SC’s February 16 verdict.

“Our stand is that the state should get its share of 177.25 tmc of water as awarded in the modified ruling of the court. The to-be set up organisation should have such teeth to implement the orders of the SC,” the Minister clarified.

“As ordered by the Supreme Court, the Union Water Resources Secretary UP Singh appeared before the court and submitted the draft scheme. The copies were shared with stakeholder states and the states were asked file their response before the Court on May 16,” he said detailing the proceedings in the SC.

Condemning the alleged derogatory comments of state Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam, members of ‘Maruthuvar’ community, involved in hair dressing, staged a fast in Rameswaram on Monday. The Minister in a recent public meeting held at Cuddalore criticised DMK working president MK Stalin on the Cauvery issue and in his speech had made veiled comments against hair dressers. Members of ‘Maruthuvar’ community claimed that Minister had hurt their sentiments and their profession. At the one-day fast, they demanded that the Minister should apologise for his statement and if he fails to do so they will send hair in protest. It may be noted that AIADMK Ministers are running into controversies with one community or the other, for instance Co-operatives Minster Sellur Raju’s comments on ‘Achi.’