M A I N   N E W S

Cauvery talks put off

NEW DELHI, May 18 (PTI)—The Centre today postponed tomorrow’s meeting of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) after Karnataka decided to boycott it saying it was called “in haste” and at Tamil Nadu’s “behest”.

As Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi flew to Delhi to attend the meeting, the Centre announced the postponement after the all-party meeting convened by Karnataka Chief Minister S. M. Krishna in Bangalore appealed to the Prime Minister to defer it to the next month.

The fresh date for the meeting would be announced in due course, a spokesman of the Prime Minister Office (PMO) said.

The postponement decision was believed to have been taken in view of the requirement that the Chief Ministers of all the four riparian states should attend to make for its quorum.

“There is no compulsive situation warranting it at a short notice and in haste,” Mr Krishna said after the meeting.

He said the PMO informed him of the CRA meeting on may 16 to discuss issues raised by Tamil Nadu regarding “Karnataka’s failure to implement the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal’s interim order since 1981”.

Rebutting Tamil Nadu’s charge he said the state had released 267 tmc feet of water during the season exceeding its entitlement of 205 tmc feet of water.