Cauvery: Making efforts to protect interests of the state: TN

 Locked in a fresh row with Karnataka over the decades-long Cauvery river water dispute, Tamil Nadu government today said it was making all efforts to "protect our rights" on the issue.

Tamil Nadu had recently moved the Supreme Court against utilisation of Cauvery water for summer irrigation in the neighbouring state, with Karnataka taking exception to Tamil Nadu's stand and asserting that it would not allow any injustice to its own farmers.

"In the Cauvery river water dispute, this government is taking all efforts to protect our rights," Finance Minister O Panneerselvam said presenting the budget for 2012-13 in the Assembly.

While the budget did not make any reference to the latest row, Tamil Nadu's assurance comes in the backdrop of it moving the apex court against utilisation of Cauvery water by Karnataka for summer irrigation.

Karnataka had also moved the Supreme Court against a Tribunal's final award granting 419 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu and 270 tmcft to the former under the water-sharing agreement.

On the vexed Mullaperiyar dam stand-off with Kerala, Panneerselvam said the government "is committed" to raising the water level to 142 ft, as ordered by the Supreme Court in 2006.

"As per the direction of the Chief Minister (J Jayalalithaa) the government has presented its case strongly before the Empowered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court and this committee is expected to submit its report shortly," he said.