Promises action on Tribunal order

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday assured a delegation of DMK MPs here that he would hold discussions with Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat on the setting up of Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), as ordered by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), in its final order to guarantee its strict compliance.

The Centre is yet to take a decision on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s request, made in April to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, for appointing a new Chairman to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal after Justice N.P. Singh resigned his post on health grounds.

As a result, the Tribunal is unable to function to decide on Tamil Nadu’s applications seeking certain directions against Karnataka government. Within days of Justice Singh’s resignation, Ms. Jayalalithaa sought the Prime Minister’s intervention. She said that as per Section 5A of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, the Tribunal proceedings could continue only if a person was nominated as Chairman.

It will have guiding principles on laws States may adopt

In a move that will have far-reaching implications, the Centre has decided to frame a new National Water Framework Act with guiding principles on water laws the States may adopt. States that adopt and reform will be incentivised for water projects. That such a law would be made is buried in the pages of the draft new national water policy, which is yet to be considered by the National Water Council, the supreme policy body chaired by Prime Minister and with Chief Ministers as members.

In a move that will have far-reaching implications, the Centre has decided to frame a National Water Framework Act with guiding principles on water laws the States may adopt. States that adopt and reform will be incentivised for water projects.

That such a law would be made is buried in the pages of the draft new national water policy, which is yet to be considered by the National Water Council, the supreme policy body chaired by Prime Minister and with Chief Ministers as members.