Tamil Nadu is 'back to square one' on the Cauvery issue as the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal has refused to hear the state's application, seeking a clarification on the final award passed on February 5, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa said on Thursday.
Despite the AIADMK's insistence that the state government move the Supreme Court with regard to certain points that were 'unfavourable' to Tamil Nadu in the final award, the DMK government filed the review petition before the Tribunal, citing opinions of legal experts, she said in a statement.
"After wasting 150 days and spending crores of rupees, Tamil Nadu is now back to square one," she said.
The Tribunal had on Tuesday last refused to hear clarificatory applications filed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry, saying it would not be proper for it to take up the applications as the Supreme Court had admitted Special Leave Petitions filed by them on the issue.
Jayalalithaa said the Centre has also 'secretly' filed a petition before the Tribunal, seeking clarifications with regard to setting up of the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation as directed in the final award.
This had been filed in favour of Karnataka government with an intent to delay the implementation of the final award, she alleged.
She came down heavily on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for the 'delay' in releasing water from Mettur dam for irrigation in delta districts and accused him of pursuing only personal interests.