Chennai, April 27 (IANS) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) on Monday urged the postponement of the upcoming meeting of the Cauvery Management Authority (CMA), citing the absence of elected governments in key stakeholder States due to ongoing Assembly elections.

In a statement, Tamil Nadu State Secretary of CPM, P. Shanmugam, said the 50th meeting of the Authority, scheduled to be held in New Delhi on April 29, should be deferred until after the formation of new governments in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, where elections have recently been held, and results are due on May 4.

Shanmugam noted that the Cauvery water-sharing issue involves multiple States — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry — and requires careful deliberation with the involvement of duly elected governments.

Holding such a crucial meeting in the absence of elected representatives, he argued, would not be appropriate.

He pointed out that the CMA was constituted to oversee the implementation of water-sharing arrangements, including ensuring that Karnataka releases 177.25 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) of water annually to Tamil Nadu, as mandated by the Supreme Court of India. The Authority also serves as a forum to address disputes and review compliance related to the interstate river.

Raising further concerns, the CPM leader said that the agenda for the April 29 meeting had not been made public. In such a situation, officials attending the meeting would be unable to present well-considered views, as they would lack the guidance of elected governments — a practice typically followed in matters of inter-State significance.

“Decisions taken without political consultation may not reflect the interests or positions of the States concerned,” he said, adding that any discussion on sensitive water-sharing issues must involve accountable leadership.

The party, therefore, called on the Centre to defer the meeting and reconvene it after the new governments assume office, ensuring that all participating States are adequately represented at the political level.

The demand comes amid heightened sensitivity over Cauvery water sharing, a long-standing and contentious issue in southern India.

–IANS

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