Firm on CMB, TN says no to ‘authority’

The spirit was such that the state claimed that even the fluid political situation in Karnataka would not have any bearing in the implementation of the final orders and that it would get its fair share of water as per the final award.

According to informed sources, the state has opposed to the naming of the organisation as ‘authority.’ The state’s demand to relocate the headquarters of the organisation and to ensure the autonomy of the organisation by having the final say in the matters relating to Cauvery water were factored in the amended draft scheme submitted before the apex court on Thursday.

While Karnataka made its written submission, the court which will sift through the submissions from all three states and the Union Territory, is expected to pass their detailed final orders over the proposed scheme shortly.

Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, who was tracking developments from Delhi, reiterated that the state’s stand was firm on setting up of the CMB and pinned the state’s hope on SC’s verdict.

“SC has agreed to our demand to relocate the headquarters to Delhi and not to provide powers for arbitration to Centre. We also insisted that it should be a Board and the Court has accepted our stand. We insisted that the first meeting of the Board should be convened in June itself for the ensuing season and that too was conceded. The top court has been listening to our demands and has been responding to them positively so far,” the Minister said.

“Our arguments are as firm as our stand that we would not settle for less. We have also rejected the Centre’s submission in renaming the organisation as ‘authority’,” he said.

“As we had advanced firm arguments, we have faith that the final verdict would be in consonance with our demands. We have sought the CMB. We have not agreed to an ‘authority’ and we will stick to our stand,” he reiterated.

Regarding the political climate in Karnataka, the Minister said that the order would be issued by the Supreme Court which would be binding on individuals as well as the executive. Be it any government, it has to bow to the verdict of the apex court.

However, MDMK general secretary Vaiko blamed the Centre of conveniently ignoring the powers of the organisation which should be on the lines of Bhakra–Beas Management Board. He termed it as a betrayal of the state farmers.