Vaiko appeals for UN intervention in dispute

In a letter to the special rapporteur Leo Heller he said, “Cauvery river had supported irrigated agriculture of Tamil Nadu for centuries and served as the livelihood of ancient kingdoms and modern cities of south India. As per the Helsinki convention, the lower riparian state had got legal rights to get its share of water, which could not be prevented by the upper riparian state. The convention had ensured that rivers like Nile, Rhine and Sind are flowing through different countries without any confrontation.” 

As per Article 6 (2) of the 1956 Inter State Water Disputes Act of India, the decision of the tribunal after its publication in the official gazette by the Union government shall have the same force as an order or decree of the Supreme Court. 

He also charged that Karnataka is making all preparations to construct new dams over Cauvery at Mekedatu and Rasimanal. If a CMB is constituted the Karnataka government could not build the dams.