Tribunal verdict is the last word: Soz

The Central government on Monday said all states will have to agree to the verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, whose decision is equivalent to that of the Supreme Court.

"All states have to agree to the verdict of the tribunal, whose decision is equal to that of the Supreme Court. The tribunal verdict is the last word," Minister for Water Resources Saifuddin Soz told media persons in New Delhi.

The Tribunal on Monday allocated 419 tmcft of water annually to Tamil Nadu and 270 tmcft to Karnataka, which however will actually release only 192 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu in a year.

"We will study the verdict and will remain available to the states," he said at the 7th Editors Conference on Social Sector Issues.

The minister said the states have the option to examine the verdict for another three months and if they have any objections they could approach the tribunal again.

"All stakeholders could give their response to the tribunal in three months time about implementing the decision and if they have objection, they could approach it again. The tribunal will come out with its final verdict in a year's time," he said.

In the much-awaited final verdict after more than 16 years of hearings, the tribunal also awarded 30 tmcft of Cauvery river water to Kerala and 7tmc ft to Puducherry, the other parties to the dispute.