Lok Sabha Debates
Regarding Reported Non-Implementation Of Interim Award Of Cauvery Water ... on 24 July, 2003
ont> 12.10 hrs. RE : REPORTED NON-IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERIM AWARD OF CAUVERY WATER DISPUTE TRIBUNAL ON SHARING OF WATER Title: Regarding reported non-implementation of interim award of Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal on sharing of water.
DR. V. SAROJA (RASIPURAM): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have given notice for an Adjournment Motion. The Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, in its order of 25.6.1991 and 3.4.1992, stated … (Interruptions)
SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA (KOLAR): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have given a notice.
MR. SPEAKER: Your ‘Zero Hour’ notice also will be taken up.
SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA : Mr. Speaker, Sir, the matter issub judice. How can she raise it in the House? … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Let me hear what is the subject. … (Interruptions)
SHRI G.S. BASAVARAJ (TUMKUR): Mr. Speaker, Sir, when the matter is before the Supreme Court, how can she raise it here? … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: If you are interested in your subject I am going to permit you.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA : Sir, the matter is before the Supreme Court. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have told you that I am going to permit you. What else do you want? Please take your seat now.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I will allow you to speak.
SHRI PRAVIN RASHTRAPAL (PATAN): Mr. Speaker, Sir, we want an opportunity to speak. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I am going to give you an opportunity. Please take your seat.
SHRI PRAVIN RASHTRAPAL : But we should be given the first opportunity.
MR. SPEAKER: You cannot force me to give you the first opportunity.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have received a notice for an Adjournment Motion from her. So, I have permitted her to speak. Please take your seat.
DR. V. SAROJA : Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal had passed its order on 25.6.1991 and 3.4.1992. In that order, it stated that … (Interruptions) Sir, it is a very important issue. I seek your protection. … (Interruptions) The House should be in order. … (Interruptions)
SHRI G. PUTTA SWAMY GOWDA (HASSAN): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am on a point of order.
MR. SPEAKER: There is no point of order in ‘Zero Hour’. You are a senior Member. You know the rules. Please take your seat.
… (Interruptions)
DR. V. SAROJA : Sir, the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, in its order of 25.6.1991 and 3.4.1992, stated that 205 TMC ft. of water should be released from Karnataka to the State of Tamil Nadu. … (Interruptions) Sir, I should be allowed to speak. … (Interruptions) Sir, they can be allowed to speak after me. They should listen to me first. … (Interruptions) Sir, this issue is pending for the past 12 years. … (Interruptions)
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR (MANGALORE): Mr. Speaker, Sir, she is referring to an order passed in the year 1991. This is not of recent occurrence. What is the urgency now? … (Interruptions) There is shortage of water in the State of Karnataka and there is drinking water problem in Greater Bangalore. … (Interruptions)
DR. V. SAROJA : Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, in its order, stated that 205 TMC ft. of water should be released to the State of Tamil Nadu from the State of Karnataka. … (Interruptions)
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : Sir, where is the urgency for this matter now? It is not a matter of recent occurrence. … (Interruptions) Sir, we have to protect the interest of Karnataka. … (Interruptions) The hon. Prime Minister has made all efforts to settle the dispute peacefully. … (Interruptions)
SHRI K. YERRANNAIDU (SRIKAKULAM): Mr. Speaker, Sir, she is the Leader of AIADMK in the House. You have to allow her to speak. Please allow her. … (Interruptions)
DR. V. SAROJA : Sir, this is an issue of human rights and of common interest to the people of Tamil Nadu. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I am sure, Members - particularly Shri Dhananjaya Kumar - are aware that during the ‘Zero Hour’, a Member can raise an issue even if it is an old one. Therefore, there is nothing wrong in raising an issue.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please sit down for a minute. I am on my legs.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please sit down.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have permitted Dr. Saroja to speak. There may be Members who may not agree with her. I am prepared to allow them also to speak. But let me tell you that the manner in which the Members are trying to obstruct the business of the House is absolutely bad because other Members will be deprived of the opportunity to speak.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Let me tell you that if you want to speak, I am prepared to permit you. But you cannot deprive other Members from raising their issues. There are 32 issues pending before us. If the Members are not understanding the interests of everybody, only God can help them.
Dr. Saroja, I have permitted you to speak. You can speak and complete your subject. Thereafter I am prepared to permit other Members.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Aiyar has asked for permission. I am going to permit him.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Dhananjaya Kumar, I will also permit you to speak. But please remember that this is not the way to get permission from the Speaker. You cannot disturb the House. After her, you will speak. Then, Shri Aiyar will also speak.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please sit down. Let us conduct the business nicely. I want cooperation from each and every Member.
DR. V. SAROJA : Two hundred and five TMC feet of water will be spread from June of that year. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You complete your statement and then only stop.
DR. V. SAROJA : It will be spread throughout 12 months in the following order. The release of water is regulated. For the month of June, it is 110.16 TMC feet; July 42.76; August 54.72; September 29.36; October 30.17, November 16.05, December 10.37 TMC feet. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please keep silence now. Let her statement be completed.
DR. V. SAROJA : In January 2.51, February 2.17, March, 2.40, April 2.32 and May 2.01 TMC feet of water is to be released. Even on a monthly basis, the quota will be released every week so that the farmers get a regular supply of water. They will be benefited in that manner.
The Technical Cell of the Monitoring Committee assisting the Cauvery Water Authority, which is an independent authority, obtained a report from the Central Water Commission about sharing of available water even during the distress period. The same was circulated to all the Member-States, that is, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Pondicherry. Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry had accepted that report. But it is unfortunate that for the past 12 years, the State of Karnataka is giving a deaf ear to the problems of farmers in Tamil Nadu.
After intervention by the hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr. Puratchi Thalaivi, the Monitoring Committee convened a meeting under the chairmanship of Secretary, Water Resources. Instead of accepting the distress sharing formula, the Government of Karnataka came out with a new proposal about that formula which was unjustified and unreasonable. It is totally unjustified to the farmers of Tamil Nadu. The Government of Karnataka is defying not only the orders of the hon. Supreme Court but also of the Tribunal, the CRA and the Monitoring Committee.
There are farmers not only from Tamil Nadu but also from the Cauvery Delta area. All the people of Tamil Nadu require water even for drinking purposes. They are suffering because of illegal construction of dams and total defiance of all the orders. It is a day-to-day affair of the people of Karnataka who are taking revenge. We can politicise any issue but please leave aside water. They have failed to understand the consequences of this injustice being done by the Karnataka Government.
Sir, I would urge upon the Government of India and the hon. Prime Minister to intervene in this matter. This august House has conferred the supreme power on the hon. Prime Minister to resolve this issue. Using his good offices, he should direct the Government of Karnataka to accept not only the order of the Tribunal but also the distress sharing formula.
In this context, I appeal to the hon. Leader of Opposition to please take it up with the Government of Karnataka. * … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Do not make personal allegations.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: No personal allegations please.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have told her not to make personal allegations.
… (Interruptions)
*Expunged as ordered by the Chair.
DR. V. SAROJA : Sir, she is their leader and she can direct the Government of Karnataka… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I will expunge those words.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have told you that I will expunge the words which are objectionable.
DR. V. SAROJA : Sir, if she wants, she can find a solution to this problem… (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE (BOLPUR): Sir, I would request the hon. Prime Minister to immediately intervene in this matter. There are so many hon. Members, from different States, agitating on this issue. I am not going to make any observation on its merit. Obviously, they feel that it is a very vital issue. Shri Yerrannaidu wanted to raise it yesterday and today other hon. Members are raising it. This is a matter which should not be allowed to be raised only in this House… (Interruptions) Therefore, I feel that the hon. Prime Minister should intervene and give some observation on this issue… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Dr. Saroja, you complete your submission.
DR. V. SAROJA : Sir, she is the Leader of Opposition, she can instruct the Government of Karnataka to look into this matter… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have removed that from the record.
DR. V. SAROJA * So, I urge upon the Leader of Opposition to intervene in this matter as she can solve this problem… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Yerrannaidu, no prompting please.
DR. V. SAROJA : Sir, through this august House, I appeal and request the hon. Prime Minister of India and the Leader of Opposition to find an amicable solution for the farmers of Tamil Nadu.
* Expunged as ordered by the Chair.
Last but not the least, I would also go on record by saying that in the distress report, which has been submitted, they have given false report… (Interruptions) I am given to understand that there are 129 TMC feet of ground water which is available. Do they mean to say that the ground water, which is available, is going to be 205 TMC? This figure is totally wrong. It has been proved during the cross examination by Shri Khanna. It has been proved during the cross examination by the witness of the Government of Karnataka State.
Sir, on behalf of my party, AIADMK, my leader Dr. Purutchi Thalaivi the hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, I urge upon the Government, the hon. Prime Minister and also the hon. Leader of Opposition to look into this matter.
SHRI S.S. PALANIMANICKAM (THANJAVUR): Thank you Sir. This is a life and death issue for the farmers of Tamil Nadu, particularly in the districts of Thanjavur, Nagapattanam, Thiruvarur, Pakkakadlur, Trichy and Udukottai. For the last three years the farmers of these districts, about 50 per cent, of Tamil Nadu are affected by drought. Sometimes it is natural and sometimes it is artificially created by the Government of Karnataka.
Sir, a tribunal was constituted by the efforts of the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr. Kalaingar. The award was given and it has already been quoted by the AIADMK Member, hon. Dr. V. Saroja, which is to the tune of 205 TMC. So far, the Government of Karnataka has not honoured this award.
Sir, every time, there was an issue regarding water scarcity, they came to the River Authority as well as to the Supreme Court with a new proposal trying to spoil the old proposal.
I would like to bring it to the notice of the hon. Speaker and to this august House that the district of Thanjavur is a rice bowl and a granary of the South. It is supplying rice to the entire South. For the last three years, the farmers and the agricultural labourers are facing a great difficulty. There are some suicides in this district also because of this drought.
So, at this moment, through the hon. Speaker, I would request the hon. Prime Minister to intervene in this issue and settle the riparian rights of the people of Tamil Nadu because the friends from Karnataka are not ready to honour the order of the Supreme Court as well as the riparian rights of the people of Tamil Nadu.
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI E. PONNUSWAMY (CHIDAMBARAM): Sir, I want to associate myself with Shri S.S. Palanimanickam.
MR. SPEAKER: Your name will be associated.
DR. C. KRISHNAN (POLLACHI): : Sir, I also associate myself with it.… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Your name will also be associated.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA : Already Mr. Speaker Sir, Members from Tamil Nadu have spoken. Please allow Karnataka Members also to speak now.
SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR (MAYILADUTURAI): He has already called my name. May I yield to our friends from Karnataka. You may call me subsequently.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI SHIVRAJ V. PATIL (LATUR): Sir, you are very rightly allowing the Members to speak. Let the Members from Karnataka speak. I would request the Member to take this issue where it should be taken, not to the Opposition benches. It should go to the Ruling Party rather than to the Opposition benches. Let there be responsible and reasonable statements, and not irresponsible statements.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: A suggestion has been made to me that since the Members from Tamil Nadu have already cleared their point of view on this issue, somebody from Karnataka should also be allowed to speak on this. I have no problem in doing that. Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar has stated that he would be speaking afterwards. I have no problem. Therefore, I am allowing Shri S. Bangarappa to speak.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Bangarappa is requested to speak now. We are all part and parcel of the same country. After Shri S. Bangarappa Shri Dhananjaya Kumar will speak.
SHRI S. BANGARAPPA (SHIMOGA): Mr. Speaker Sir, with all humility at my hand and with due respect to the hon. Members coming from Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry or other low riparian region, I would like to express the viewpoint of Karnataka State.
There are two or three issues involved in this matter.… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please keep silence in the House. I am also interested in knowing what Shri Bangarappa has to say. Your own Party man is speaking. Let me listen to him.
SHRI S. BANGARAPPA : As far as the details are concerned, if you go to the details, it will take a lot of time. I do not think we can now indulge upon going into the details of either the Tribunal Order or the Supreme Court Interim Order. There are several orders in the dispute. Actually it has consumed a lot of time also. We have seen so many Prime Ministers. So many times, so many orders were issued by the Tribunal constituted under the Inter State Water Dispute Act. Sir, this is a very serious matter also.
I agree with the hon. Member when he made a reference to release of 205 TMC of water, and all these things. We do not dispute that. But the point is there is a formula given by same Tribunal called Distress Water Sharing Formula. That is very very important. If water is there, certainly we are bound to release it. If water is not there, how can we get the water to be released? That is all the point here. Therefore, she also made a reference to the construction of certain dams or mini dams or something like that. In fact, we would like to make the point very very clear that Karnataka Government is not indulging in all these matters and we have not taken up projects other than those which are required to be taken up as per the agreement and rules also. We have not, in fact, transgressed the directions given by either the Tribunal or the Supreme Court.
Now, the point is this. As far as letting out water to either Tamil Nadu or Pondicherry is concerned, let me make it very very clear that in Karnataka State, standing crops of sugarcane on thousand of acres in a district like Mandya have been completely dried up. Even now, you can go and see that. The same is the case with regard to the paddy crops also. We have not been able to, in fact, let out even a drop of water for drinking purpose, and the entire catchment area of the KRS reservoir is completely dried up.
Till recently, little water has come to the dam site from two districts. That is the position. Therefore, what I am trying to submit to the consideration of this august House, through you, Sir, is that if we have got water, certainly we will honour it. If we do not have water, then we are not in a position to honour it. It is not that we are opposing you. We are all brothers and sisters living in the same country of the Indian Union. We are a part and parcel of the whole of India. … (Interruptions) Yes, you are also there. Therefore, certainly we will move with that principle as the basis for our approach.
Sir, I am appealing to you that mutual dialogue is the best course to resolve this issue. We are appealing to the hon. Prime Minister also as has been directed or requested by the hon. Supreme Court. Madam, you have also rightly made an appeal to the hon. Prime Minister. We are also making an appeal to the hon. Prime Minister. Let the Prime Minister initiate all these actions. Let him call all the parties concerned to this dispute – Kerala and Karnataka, which are in the upper riparian region, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, which are in the lower riparian region. These are the four States involved in this dispute. Let a meeting of the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry be called by the hon. Prime Minister to resolve this issue once for all. Mutual dialogue is the best solution. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Bangarappa is making his point of view quite clear and very nicely. Let him complete. Please do not disturb him.
… (Interruptions)
DR. V. SAROJA : After so many years, they are coming for a discussion. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: He is explaining the position very nicely.
SHRI S. BANGARAPPA : We give due respect to the Order of the Supreme Court or the Tribunal under the Inter State Water Disputes Act, 1951. But the point is that if water is there, we are bound to honour it. If water is not there, whether I am there or you are there or anybody is there, no one would be able to honour that Order. We have made our point very clear to the Tribunal, to the Supreme Court, to the hon. Prime Minister, and also to the Water Resources Minister. This is the case of Karnataka and even Kerala also since Kerala is also a party to this dispute.
With due respect to the hon. Members, let us sit together and resolve this issue. Let us give all the due co-operation to the hon. Prime Minister, as per the direction given by the Supreme Court.
Thank you very much.
MR. SPEAKER: Now, Shri Dhananjaya Kumar.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI ANIL BASU (ARAMBAGH): Sir, may I report to you very honestly that I went to Mysore in the first week of July and I saw the Krishnarajasagar dam with my own eyes. The whole riverbed is dry. There is no water in the dam. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: That is what he was saying.
Now, Shri Dhananjaya Kumar.
… (Interruptions)
कुंवर अखिलेश सिंह (महाराजगंज, उ.प्र.) : माननीय अध्यक्ष महोदय, हमने कई बार सदन के अन्दर कहा है कि जल को संविधान की समवर्ती सूची में शामिल किया जाये, तभी इस समस्या का समाधान हो सकता है, लेकिन यह सरकार कुछ नहीं कर रही है। मेरा आपसे आग्रह है कि अगर आप पानी की समस्या का निराकरण करना चाहते हैं तो सरकार को निर्देशित करें कि जल को संविधान की समवर्ती सूची में शामिल करने के लिए ये विधेयक लायें।
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : Sir, traditionally and historically, Karnataka has been a very peaceful and law-abiding State. Here, my sister has tried to distort the issue before this august House. … (Interruptions) Would you please hear me for a minute? … (Interruptions)
SHRI DALIT EZHILMALAI (TIRUCHIRAPPALLI): You say that Karnataka is a law-abiding State but your Chief Minister was condemned by the Supreme Court. … (Interruptions)
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : It is the State of Karanataka to which I am referring. I am not referring to the Chief Minister. … (Interruptions) I must make it very clear that the State of Karnataka has … (Interruptions)
श्री मधुसूदन मिस्त्री (साबरकांठा): अध्यक्ष महोदय, हमने भी नोटिस दिया है।
श्री वी. धनंजय कुमार: यह आप क्या बीच में बोल रहे हैं? … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Let us resolve this issue nicely. Shri Bangarappa has made a good beginning. We can find out a way.
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : Sir, the State of Karnataka has fully complied with the orders passed by the legal authorities like the Tribunal and the Supreme Court. … (Interruptions)
As rightly pointed out by my colleague, Shri Bangarappa, there is an observation by the Tribunal in regard to distress sharing. I fully agree with my sister, Dr. Saroja that there has been an interim order.… (Interruptions) मानजी क्यों चिल्लाते हो ? चिल्लाने से पानी नहीं मिलेगा। पानी होगा तभी मिलेगा। पानी नहीं है, बारिश नहीं आ रही। …( व्यवधान)आप क्यों चिल्ला रहे हो? …( व्यवधान)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Dhananjaya Kumar, please address the Chair.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : There was no rain. That is what I am telling him. Unfortunately, for the last two years, Karnataka has been suffering with the worst kind of drought. There was no rain in the Cauvery basin. That is why, as rightly observed by some of my friends who had gone as part of a delegation to that area, the entire reservoir has become dry and they have seen it. So, rightly the hon. Tribunal in its award has made an observation that in the case of distress, how that distress should be shared. In case of surplus, we will share the surplus. In case of distress, we will also share the distress. This is the formula proposed by the Tribunal. … (Interruptions) The Government of Tamil Nadu has taken up the issue before the hon. Prime Minister. The hon. Prime Minister has convened the meeting. Whenever the hon. Prime Minister directed the State of Karnataka to come before him and place our facts, we have placed our facts. Whatever direction the hon. Prime Minister had issued, we have fully complied with that.
Today, fortunately this year the situation in the Cauvery basin is that we have started getting some rain. Let us pray to God that enough showers will come and enough water will flow into the reservoir. Then, we will give them more than their due share. Water for the purposes of drinking is also not available in the Cauvery. That is the position today.
MR. SPEAKER: Please complete now.
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : My last submission is that this is not proper to bring this issue before this august House when the highest authorities of the country like the hon. Prime Minister, the Supreme Court and the Tribunal, are seized of the matter. There is no occasion for raising this issue before this House.
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Dhananjaya Kumar, please sit down. Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar will speak now. Shri Dhananjaya Kumar, you have made your point here. Why do you want to repeat?
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : We are a law-abiding State. We will abide by the decision. I think, even Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar would agree that there is no water. If there is water, we will give you. … (Interruptions) Cauvery originates from my constituency. You should know that. There is absolutely no rain in that part. That is the problem.
SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR : Mr. Speaker, Sir, Shri S. Ranganathan, the very long serving Chairman of the Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Association, has visited Karnataka and quite honestly stated that there is an enormous shortage of water in Karnataka. That is a fact. At the same time, as the representative of the other end of the Cauvery, Shri Dhananjaya Kumar, I can assure you that the debate of distress in the Cauvery delta has never been as acute as in the last 12 years. We are, therefore, now not talking about the sharing of surpluses but sharing of distress. For the sharing of distress, there are a number of steps, which should have been taken by the Central Government in particular, but which have not been taken.
I would like to list these one by one. Firstly, the Prime Minister himself is the Chairman of the Cauvery River Authority. I think it is utterly shocking that with this creeping crisis that has been coming on us over the last seven months, there has been no attempt made by the Cauvery River Authority to meet and give a political direction to this acute crisis affecting peninsular India. … (Interruptions)
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : While invitations were sent, your Chief Minister did not attend the meeting. You should not forget that. You know that. Why do you want to suppress that?
MR. SPEAKER: It is not ‘your’ Chief Minister, but his Chief Minister. Please sit down.
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR : She was invited twice, but his Chief Minister did not attend the meeting.
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Dhananjaya Kumar, please sit down.
SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR : My second request is directed at the hon. Minister of Water Resources who is sitting here with us.
I am a Member of his Consultative Committee. We have repeatedly, over the last three years, requested the hon. Minister, if necessary along with the Members of the Committee, to visit the basin of the Cauvery, all the way from Shri Dhananjaya Kumar’s constituency to mine so that we as Members of Parliament can also make our contribution in a harmonious manner to the resolution of problems arising out of distress, which is distress in Karnataka as much as distress in Tamil Nadu. The hon. Minister of Water Resources has always been very kind to us in the Committee but has been cruel to us outside the Committee. He has never taken us down there. He has not visited the area himself.
The third thing that I would also request the hon. Minister of Water Resources to do is that given the fact that we have all these opinions over here which express different views between States – this is an inter-State dispute, not an inter-party dispute – if he would kindly call the Members of Parliament of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry together we can sit with him informally and have a really detailed discussion on how these matters could be handled.
My fourth request to the Government itself is that the Minister who is in charge of Planning should kindly call the Chief Ministers of both the States primarily concerned, that is, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and see that until and unless we resolve this problem, that is, until whatever time it takes, we look into the Cauvery Modernisation Plan which the World Bank has offered to finance nearly 25 years ago, which is pending because the Government at that time, thinking the issue could be resolved, said, ‘After the water sharing issue is resolved, we will bring in the Cauvery Modernisation Plan.’ The Cauvery Modernisation Plan is as much required in Shri Dhananjaya Kumar’s area as it is in my area. If we can do that, we can reduce the amount of water required for agriculture without affecting the output but the CMP has been put to sleep because nobody is taking interest in reviving it notwithstanding this.
Finally, my fifth appeal is to the AIADMK Chief Minister, who in December, 1995, had filed a case in the Supreme Court. I am referring to that case. There are many cases but I am referring to the case filed by hon. Kumari Jayalalitha in the Supreme Court in December, 1995. The case was being heard. It had almost come to a conclusion. The arguments were coming to a conclusion in April, 1997 when the Solicitor-General went before the Supreme Court and said, ‘Please stop this case because we have found a formula to implement the Cauvery Tribunal’s Interim Award’. The Supreme Court declined the request for stopping the case but agreed to suspend it saying, ‘If you have got a formula, come up with it.’ That formula was the Prime Minister’s Cauvery River Authority, which has proved hopelessly incompetent, totally incompetent over the last four years in even beginning to approach the problem and even beginning to solve it. In these circumstances, I plead, as a fifth step, with the hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to kindly resume the case in the Supreme Court on the grounds that the Central Government has failed to implement the Award. Let us bring it to a conclusion. Let us convert the quasi-judicial decision of the Cauvery Tribunal into a judicial decision of the Supreme Court, which will be equally binding on Karnataka as on Tamil Nadu, as on Pondicherry and as on Kerala.
If these five constructive steps are taken, we may succeed in working constructively towards a solution. So, I plead with the hon. Minister of Water Resources to assure us that he would do what he is capable of doing and that he would convey my request about the CRA to the Prime Minister and I request the hon. mover of this discussion Dr. Saroja to kindly ask her Chief Minister to resume in the Supreme Court, the case that was suspended in 1997.
MR. SPEAKER: Thank you very much. Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar has made all the points clear.
I want to go to the next issue about the Birth Centenary of Shri Jaiprakash Narayan to be raised by Shri Ramjilal Suman.
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