Not talks, but legal remedy in water disputes is key to protecting TN's rights, says Duraimurugan

CHENNAI: Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Duraimurugan informed the Assembly on Monday that the inter-state water dispute is a sensitive issue and must be handled with utmost caution.

The Leader of the House dismissed the suggestion made by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, asking Chief Minister MK Stalin’s to utilise rapport with his counterparts to find an amicable solution to the inter-state water dispute through talks, asserting firmly that legal remedy is the appropriate way to safeguard the State’s rights.

Steering away from legal battles and resorting to “talks” would be detrimental to Tamil Nadu’s rights in interstate water disputes, Duraimurugan said, adding that continuous talks had failed over the years, prompting the government to approach the Supreme Court.

Duraimurugan’s statement was in response to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami and deputy Leader of the Opposition RB Udhayakumar’s remarks during a reply to the debate on the demand for grants for the Water Resources Department.

Citing a recent meeting with the Chief Ministers of southern states over ‘Fair Delimitation’, Palaniswami and his deputy suggested that CM Stalin shares a warm and friendly relationship with his counterparts in the southern states and asked him to use his influence for the benefit of the State. Given that the cases over the inter-state water disputes had been pending for a long time in the Supreme Court, they proposed that the CM use his rapport with his counterparts to find an amicable solution.

Duraimurugan refuted this and questioned whether Palaniswami had no cordial relationship with his counterparts in southern states when he was the CM. “Did they remain enemies to him when he was the CM?” he asked, wondering why he did not resort to talks then.

Palaniswami responded that he had held talks with the Kerala government and clarified that his suggestion was made with “good intention” and without “political animosity.” However, Duraimurugan rejected this, stating that former Prime Minister VP Singh had urged then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to hold talks with his counterpart over the inter-state water dispute. But Karunanidhi firmly declined by stating that “we cannot talk anymore” and approached the judiciary, he reminded the AIADMK leaders.

“We ensured our rights and created history by constituting the tribunal,” he said, referring to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s order allocating water between various states. He added that the moment the State entered negotiations, the Supreme Court would step aside, undoing the long-won legal victories over the inter-state water disputes.

Without referring to the violence against Tamils that occurred 24 years ago over the Cauvery water issue in Karnataka, the minister praised the members of the house for speaking sensibly on such a sensitive issue, keeping in mind the welfare of the thousands of Tamils living in neighbouring states. “We know what happened earlier. So, we should be cautious. I also appreciate the members keeping in mind the welfare of the thousands of Tamils living in neighbouring states.”

He also took a dig at the principal opposition, stating that, unlike the AIADMK government, the current DMK regime had not halted any projects initiated by the previous government, including the Athikadavu-Avinashi irrigation scheme. “Whichever party comes to power, it should continue development projects for the welfare of the people,” WRD minister Duraimurugan said in the House.