PM
CALLS FOR A WORKABLE SOLUTION OF CAUVERY WATER PROBLEM
FIFTH EMERGENCY MEETING OF CAUVERY
RIVER AUTHORITY BEGINS
The Prime Minister,
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee called for a workable solution of Cauvery
river water problem for the current season, so that farmers of
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are able to cultivate their fields in
the present drought situation. He was presiding over the Fifth
emergency meeting of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA), here today.
Following is the text of the opening remarks of the Prime Minister
:
"I welcome you
all to the Fifth meeting, which is an emergency meeting, of the
Cauvery River Authority. The Supreme Court in its order dated
September 3, 2002 has directed Karnataka to release 1.25 TMC ft
of water till a final decision is taken by the Cauvery River Authority.
I shall be away for more than a week. Hence the necessity for
calling this emergency meeting.
In the last Cauvery
River Authority meeting on August 27, we had all agreed that Cauvery
basin is among the most severely affected river basins. We also
agreed that there is no solution other than sharing the deficit
and the distress in an equitable manner in a spirit of compassion,
mutual understanding and national solidarity.
We had directed the
Monitoring Committee to meet and finalise before September 15,
2002 a specific formula for distress sharing keeping in view the
directions of the Tribunal given on April 3, 1992. I understand
that the Monitoring Committee has discussed the distress sharing
formula in its Fourth Emergency Meeting held yesterday. While
the basin States agreed on certain issues, no final conclusion
could be arrived at. The situation being very critical this year,
we have to immediately come out with a workable solution for the
current season so that farmers in both the States are able to
cultivate their fields in the present drought situation.
I would request the
Chief Ministers to make their remarks and discuss the present
situation keeping in view each other’s requirements. I hope we
will be able to have a fruitful deliberation on this vexed problem
and come out with a practical and workable solution acceptable
to all the basin States."
Apart from the Prime
Minister and the Water Resources Minister, Shri Arjun Charan Sethi,
those who attended the meeting included Shri S.M.Krishna, Chief
Minister, Karnataka, Shri A.K.Antony, Chief Minister, Kerala,
Shri N. Rangaswami, Chief Minister, Pondicherry and the Finance
Minister of Tamil Nadu, Shri C. Ponnaiyan who led the delegation
of his State.
