Cauvery issue: Tamil Nadu govt to file contempt against Centre

With protesters in Tamil Nadu demanding setting up of Cauvery Management Board, the state government on Thursday decided to move a contempt petition against the Centre for failing to set up the board as per the February 16 order of the Supreme Court, whose six-week deadline has ended.

The opposition parties have urged the state government to take decisive action against the centre for betraying Tamil Nadu people.

A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of senior ministers and top bureaucrats chaired by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at the secretariat.

Highly placed sources said the state government has decided to take legal action as the centre has remained indifferent to its demand even as the six-week deadline ended on Thursday.

On February 16, the Supreme Court directed the centre to formulate a scheme for the implementation of the award determined by it within six weeks' time.

Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Karnataka have disagreed over the structure and powers of the body to be formed, with the court order merely using the word "scheme" and not mentioning "Cauvery Management Board" specifically.

While Karnataka wanted a panel to be set up instead of a board, Tamil Nadu insisted that the top court's order was to set up Cauvery Management Board as mentioned in the Cauvery Water Tribunal's final award in 2007.

Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu allege that the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre has taken the side of the Karnataka, which goes to polls on May 12, considering its political interest.