Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday urged the Centre to ensure that Karnataka complies with the order of the Supreme Court on the Cauvery water dispute forthwith and releases water to the lower riparian State in accordance with the Apex Court’s directions on September 5, 6, 12, 20 and 27. State Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohan Rao read out Ms Jayalalithaa’s speech (as she is in hospital) at the meeting convened in New Delhi by the Union Ministry of Water Resources with participation from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In the speech, she also urged the Government of India to immediately constitute the Cauvery Management Board as ordered by the Supreme Court. “Further, Karnataka should release the stipulated quantity of water as per the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal including the backlog of 76.042 TMC ft as on September 26,” the speech copy circulated to the media here said. Tamil Nadu was in dire need of water and hence she urged the Centre to prevail upon the upper riparian State to release water as per court directions.

Source: The Hindu September 29, 2016 12:45 UTC