Cut in quantum of Cauvery water disappointing: TN CM

Coimbatore: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court verdict reducing the quantum of Cauvery water to be released for Tamil Nadu, but said certain points in the judgment should be welcomed.

Observing no state can claim “exclusive ownership” of inter-state river water, the Supreme Court yesterday hiked Karnataka’s share of Cauvery water by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu’s quantum by an equal amount in its verdict to resolve the decades-old dispute.

In what was being described as a balanced verdict, Tamil Nadu was, however, compensated by the court which allowed extraction of 10 tmcft ground water from the river basin.

Palaniswami today said the Cauvery Water Tribunal had allocated 192 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu and reduction of 14.75 tmcft, and allotting 177.25 tmcft to the state in the verdict was “disappointing”.

However, certain points should be welcomed, he told reporters at the airport here, adding that he cannot comment further on the Supreme Court verdict.

Asserting that the court has confirmed the acreage of Tamil Nadu coming under irrigation, the chief minister said the observation that no state can claim ownership of the river was a welcome one.

About the future course of action, he said it would be decided after discussions with legal experts.

The verdict was the result of a case filed by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the apex court, Palaniswami said.

He also expressed confidence that the Centre will constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board within six week as suggested by the court, a long-pending demand of the state.