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Title: Regarding need to ensure compliance by Karnataka with Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s interim award.
SHRI L. GANESAN (TIRUCHIRAPPALLI): Mr. Speaker, Sir, with great anguish and agony, I wish to bring to the notice of this House as well as the Government of India, the plight, distress, sufferings and sorrows of the farmers as well as the farming labourers of Tamil Nadu, particularly of the Cauvery delta.
श्री चंद्रकांत खैरे (औरंगाबाद, महाराष्ट्र) : +ÉvªÉFÉ àÉcÉänªÉ, àÉÖZÉä £ÉÉÒ ¤ÉÉäãÉxÉä BÉEÉ +ɴɺɮ ÉÊnªÉÉ VÉÉA*
MR. SPEAKER: It is there. Let me discuss. Your leader has already spoken.
SHRI L. GANESAN : For the last three to four years successively, that area was hit hard by severe drought. No cultivation was possible due to non-availability of water. That area was once termed as Granary of South and people from other parts of Tamil Nadu used to come and take shelter during such drought conditions in that delta area.
But what happens now? The people, the farmers as well as the farming labourers of the delta area are going out of the area to seek their livelihood. Yesterday, we all Members of Lok Sabha from Tamil Nadu as well as leaders of Tamil Nadu met our hon. Prime Minister and presented him the memoranda requesting him to take immediate action.
Sir, now the situation is such that in Mettur there is no water. Kabini reservoir is actually full and Krishnarjunsagar is also almost full. Therefore, if the Government of India effectively intervenes and prevails upon the Karnataka
* Not Recorded.
Government that the water should be released forthwith, then only the Cauvery delta can be saved.
Sir, the Tribunal was constituted by the Government of India under the direction by the Supreme Court. To settle the disputes between the Governments of Karnatka and of Tamil Nadu, that Tribunal was constituted in 1990. That Tribunal had given its Interim Award in 1991. So, it is according to the Act of 1956 as well as the direction by the Supreme Court that the Central Government had constituted the Tribunal. In 1991, the Tribunal had given the Interim Award that 205 TMC water should be released every year for Tamil Nadu. But that has not been implemented by the Karnataka State. That is why all these problems are there. Not only that, as soon as the Interim Award was given, the then Karnataka Government had convened the Assembly and passed a Resolution rejecting the Award, which was given by the Tribunal. Not only to reject but they had passed an ordinance, which was later on replaced by an enactment also. All these things done by them are totally unconstitutional since the constitution of the Tribunal is according to the law, under the provisions of the Act of 1956 and the direction by the Supreme Court.
Therefore, to go against the Interim Award given by the Tribunal is totally unconstitutional. But the then Government of Karnataka shut its eyes from all these, what should I say, atrocities.
Now, it is my appeal to the beloved Prime Minister and the Government of India to effectively intervene and prevail upon the Government of Karnataka to release water forthwith so that our farmers are saved. From 1991 till 2005, so many years have passed but that Interim Award is still an Interim Award. There is no final award.
MR. SPEAKER: These are all matters of urgent importance and not speeches. One should be very brief.
SHRI L. GANESAN : Therefore, Sir, I once again urge upon the Central Government to got the final award. Thank you.
SHRI C. KRISHNAN (POLLACHI): Sir, I also associate myself to what my colleague has mentioned.
SHRI RAVICHANDRAN SIPPIPARAI (SIVAKASI): Sir, I also associate myself to this burning issue raised by Shri Ganesan.
SHRI A. KRISHNASWAMY (SRIPERAMBUDUR): Sir, I may also be allowed to associate myself. This is a very important issue.
SHRI A.K.S. VIJAYAN (NAGAPATTINAM): Sir, we all Members from Tamil Nadu associate ourselves to the concern expressed by our colleague Shri Ganesan.
MR. SPEAKER: All right, you may all associate.
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12.59 hrs
MATTERS UNDER RULE 377 *
MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, Matters Under Rule 377 may please be treated as laid on the Table of the House.