MK gave up rights of TN in 1970

Accusing Karunanidhi of giving up the rights of Tamil Nadu way back in 1970, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said that the DMK chief, the then Chief Minister, had declared in the State Assembly that the government headed by him had no objection to the construction of a dam across Hemavathi river.

Gradually, Karnataka unilaterally began constructing dams across the tributaries of the Cauvery — Kabini, Hemavathi, Harangi and Swarnavathy — without seeking permission from the Central Water Commission and the Union Planning Commission.

Karunanidhi had been a mute spectator to these transgressions by the neighbouring State, Jayalalithaa said.

In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, the AIADMK leader said that Karunanidhi had, due to the political pressures on him, withdrawn the case filed by Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery water dispute under Article 131 of the Constitution before the Supreme Court on August 28, 1972.

This he did without informing the two Houses of Tamil Nadu Assembly despite the fact that the case was filed following a resolution adopted in both the Houses.

When the Cauvery issue cropped up during the previous DMK regime, Karunanidhi had exhibited escapism by declining to comment on Karnataka’s failure to release water. He was even unable to convene the meeting of the Cauvery River Authority to resolve the issue, she said. The Tamil Nadu government had moved the Supreme Court when Karnataka failed to release water in time and the apex court had directed Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs of water from September 12 to 20.

During the CRA meeting, Tamil Nadu had expressed the view that the Prime Minister’s direction to release 9,000 cusecs of water could not be accepted as it was less than the 10,000 cusecs stipulated by the Supreme Court. Even according to the Distress Sharing Formula, Karnataka should be releasing 2 tmcft of water for 24 days to Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu was able to get 10,000 cusecs of water between September 12 and 20 only because the State had moved the Supreme Court and assured that she would take steps to ensure justice to Tamil Nadu through the apex court.