Implement Cauvery order — AIADMK

“Hence, I insist that it is a rightful duty of this government to implement the tribunal’s orders without any further delay. I urge upon the government to invoke Article 256 of the Constitution and give a direction to the Karnataka Government to implement the order.

“But it appears from the circumstances, even this government is not ready for the speedy implementation of the orders. It is going to ask for another hearing in the Supreme Court,”he said.

The issue raised by T R Baalu of the DMK triggered heated exchanges from members of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Formerminister R L Jalappa questioned Muthiah as to how he knew what the government would tell the Apex Court when the issue comes up for hearing on July 21.

Baalu said the Centre has not come forward to implement the interim award even after a long delay and whenever the case came up for hearing in the Supreme Court, it managed to seek adjournments for not not less than eight times.

He said the government should not be carried away by the Karnataka plea for convening a Chief Ministers’ meeting on the issue as it had failed in the past.

Muthiah said a stage has now arisen that this government should come forward to implement the orders as per its national agenda where it is committed to implementing it. He said the earlier government had formulated a Cauvery river water authority scheme in May, 1997, but it was not notified because of the influence of Karnataka and the Prime Minister being from that state.

The AIADMK member also had a dig at Baalu saying the United Front government in which DMK-TMC had nineministers betrayed the people of Tamil Nadu. Jalappa said the matter is sub-judice and wanted the issue to be settled amicably.

TDP Govt against increasing Almatti’s height: THE ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh on Friday asserted that it would not allow neighbouring Karnataka to increase the height of Almatti dam and jeopardise the State’s interests.

“The AP Government will not allow the State’s interests to suffer in the wake of Karnataka’s bid to go ahead with increasing the height of the dam,” government chief whip R Chandrasekhar Reddy told reporters here.

Reacting to Opposition Congress criticism of TDP being “callous” towards the contentious Almatti dam issue in the face of “continued violations by neighbouring Karnataka”, Reddy said the State government was determined to oppose Karnataka.