Cauvery order: TN to file review petition

Tamil Nadu is to file a review petition before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal seeking to get redressed some of the grievances arising out of its final award, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announced on Thursday evening.

He told media persons in Chennai that there were 'a few unfavourable points in the award, which needed to be corrected now.'

On the agitation in Karnataka against the award, Karunanidhi said few people in that state had 'exaggerated' the provisions of the award and created 'misconceptions' in people's minds that the award was unfair to them.

The misconceptions that Karnataka had to release 419 tmcft to Tamil Nadu had also been created, he said, adding that 419 tmcft of water allocated to Tamil Nadu included the Cauvery water flowing in Tamil Nadu also and Karnataka had to release only 192

tmcft.

He described the water distribution formula announced by the award as 'equitable and not unfair to Karnataka.'

Out of the total 392 tmcft of Cauvery water in Karnataka, about half the quantity (192 tmcft) had only been allocated to Tamil Nadu, he said.

To a query whether the state government will convene an all-party meeting on the issue, the chief minister said he was not thinking of such a meeting at this juncture as it will affect Tamil Nadu's interests.

He said the media, while reporting on the issue, should have a humane approach and not sensationalise the current agitation in Karnataka.