Cauvery final award notified, TN celebrates, protests in Karnataka

 The Centre today notifed the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal ending a six-year-long wait triggering celebrations in Tamil Nadu and protests in Karnataka.

"This is the best birthday present that I could ever had in my life.," said an elated Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, who will turn 65 on February 24.

But her Karnataka counterpart Jagadish Shettar asked the Centre not to constitute the Cauvery Management Board till the disposal of civil appeals filed by the State in Supreme Court

Terming the notification as a "great victory for me and my government", particularly the delta farmers, Jayalalithaa said, "since the final award has been notified, it becomes binding on Karnataka" to release water.

"....hereafter Karnataka cannot refuse to obey the order of the tribunal", the AIADMK supremo said, adding, Tamil Nadu was "literally at the mercy of Karnataka all these years."

Noting that the notification marks the culmination of a 22-year-long struggle, Jayalalithaa, hoped that Tamil Nadu would receive its due share and when there was distress "we will abide by the directions given in the final order, final award of the Tribunal as to how distress should be shared."

Farmers in delta region welcomed the notification with bursting of crackers. DMK chief M Karunanidhi and other leaders also hailed the Centre's action.

The notification, however, sparked protests in Karnataka with members of Kannada outfit, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, staging demonstrations in Mysore, Mandya and Bangalore.

Shettar said there is no law to say that the Board has to be constituted.

"It (clearance for the proposed Board) has to come before Parliament, and there has to be discussions. Under law, there is room for amendment," he added.

The Tribunal, comprising chairman Justice N P Singh and members N S Rao and Sudhir Narain, in a unanimous award in February, 2007 had determined the total availability of water in the Cauvery basin at 740 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet at the Lower Coleroon Anicut site.

The proceedings of the Tribunal, set up in June, 1990, went on for more than 16 years.

In, what was then described as a balancing act, the Tribunal gave Tamil Nadu 419 TMC of water(as against the demand of 562 TMC); Karnataka 270 TMC (as against its demand of 465 TMC); Kerala 30 TMC and Puducherry 7 TMC.

For environmental protection, it had reserved 10 TMC.

Reacting angrily to the Centre notifying the final award of the CWDT, the former Prime Minister and JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda announced "peaceful struggle" against the move.

"If it becomes inevitable, fasting will be Deve Gowda's last resort", he told reporters at Bangalore.

In its civil appeals before the Supreme Court, Karnataka challenged even the recommendation for the constitution of a Board.

"The proposed Board will adversely affect the absolute authority of the State to regulate its reservoirs derived from Entry-17 of the State List. This would be an unjust and unconstitutional measure which is against the spirit of the Cooperative Federal System. Therefore, it is not appropriate to constitute a Management Board", officials said.

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Siddaramaiah sought to blame the State government vis-a-vis the notification, alleging that it gave an undertaking in the apex court that it had no objection for the notification of the final award.

Meanwhile, bus services from Udhagamandalam and Krishnagiri towards Karnataka were stopped apprehending trouble over the gazette notification.

Police and officials at Kakkanalla checkpost, near the Karnataka border, are advising taxis and car owners, with Tamil Nadu registration, not to venture into Karnataka, as they anticipated trouble following the notification of the final award, sources added.