EPS flays state govt for attending CWMA meeting

CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday strongly condemned the DMK government for attending the meeting of Cauvery Water Management Authority(CWMA) despite knowing that the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir project was in the agenda for discussion and wondered why the officials from Tamil Nadu did not register their protest against it.

The DMK-Congress should immediately end their drama behind the veil over the inter-state issue. And the DMK government should remain assertive over Tamil Nadu’s rights over Cauvery Water, said Palaniswami in a statement. Coming down heavily on the DMK government for permitting the Mekedatu issue to the CWMA, which is not the competent authority, Palaniswami said Cauvery is the lifeline of 20 districts in the state. It was the primary source for drinking and agriculture purposes.

After a long legal battle and sustained efforts, the AIADMK regime had obtained a final verdict in the Supreme Court on February 1, 2018 to safeguard the rights of Tamil Nadu and its people over Cauvery water. The party stalled Parliament for 22 days to bring the SC verdict to effect, resulting in the Centre notifying the constitution of the CWMA and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee on June 1, 2018, he recalled.

He wondered about the participation of the officials of the TN water resource department in debate over the Mekedatu project and said if they would have abstained from the debate, the issue would have been reverted to the CWC.

Indeed, the CWMA had reverted the issue CWC following objection from the majority of the members, who registered that CWMA was not competent for technician examination of the Mekedatu project report and suggested forwarding it to CWC.