CMB row: TN files contempt against Centre; Govt seeks SC clarification

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu government on Saturday moved the Supreme Court for a contempt action against the Centre, after it failed to form a Cauvery Management Board (CMB), as per the apex court order. The AIADMK government will mention the matter before the Supreme Court on Monday, advocate for Tamil Nadu government, Uma Pati said.

The Supreme Court had given a six-week deadline to the Centre to formulate the CMB, which ended on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Center filed a clarification petition before the apex court and pleaded to clarify whether it can modify the composition of Cauvery Management Board (CMB). The Center also sought more time from the Court for implementing the February 16 order. The Centre wants the apex court to clarify as to what is the meaning of “framing a scheme” under Section 6(A) of the Inter State Water Disputes Act as there is no specific mention about “CMB” in the judgement though in the narration the verdict talks about CMB as suggested by the Tribunal in its final award of February 2007.

Talking to media, Chief Minister K Palanisamy had on Friday said that the state government will pursue legally for the formation of Cauvery Management Board. "We scuttled the Parliament for 17 days for Cauvery Management Board. This has never happened for a state's cause," Palanisamy said. The AIADMK party members have also decided to observe fast across Tamil Nadu on April 2 to urge the Central government to implement the scheme. The DMK and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran also condemned the central government for not implementing the order. The Supreme Court in its much-awaited verdict on the decades-long dispute increased Karnataka's share of water and directed the state to release 177.25 tmc to Tamil Nadu. Following the verdict, the Supreme Court on February 16 had ordered the Central government to set up the CMB and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee within six weeks.