Ryots accept new body, upset over rule on control of dams

Although, the state lawyers contended that all the powers mentioned by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal for the Cauvery Management Board had been provided for the Cauvery Management Authority, the farmers want more clarity on the operation of the dams.

Ayyakannu, leader of the South Indian Rivers Linking Association said, “The farmers need clarity on the difference between the words board and authority. If the final authority to open the dams remained with Karnataka, how will Tamil Nadu get water?”

Coordinator of Federation of All Tamil Nadu Farmers Associations PR Pandian also said, “The Centre had betrayed Tamil Nadu by dropping the nomenclature of ‘board’ at the last minute. During the previous hearing, the Union government had said it had no objection to the word board.” However, he welcomed the setting up of the Cauvery Management Authority since it had the powers to direct the release of water to Tamil Nadu.

Both the AIADMK and BJP claimed the formation of the CMA as a major victory and asserted that it had all the powers to ensure Cauvery water release at the specified time.

AIADMK spokesperson Vaigaiselvan said, “It can be considered a victory for Tamil Nadu and it opens the possibility of release of water in June when the cultivation season begins here. It has all the powers to release, share and monitor the dams across Cauvery.”

BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan claimed that the BJP had retrieved the rights of Tamil Nadu which had been lost during the regime of DMK and Congress. She said the Communist government in Kerala and the previous Congress government in Karnataka had opposed the rights of Tamil Nadu. “We celebrate the victory and those parties which protested against the BJP should hang their heads in shame,” she added.

However, DMK working president MK Stalin gave the credit to the formation of the authority to the protests by various groups in the state. “Since the SC upheld the draft scheme, there should be no delay in implementing it.

Even while the BJP-led Centre delayed the Cauvery dispute, the court took continuous protests by people of TN and opposition parties into consideration and directed the Centre to implement the draft scheme,” Stalin said.

Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan while responding to questinos from media persons on the DMK’s refusal to attend the consultation meet, said that the event was being organised for the farmers’ welfare and not to gain political mileage out of it.