(HT)
The Supreme Court on Monday reprimanded the Centre for not drawing up a scheme to implement its judgement on the distribution of the Cauvery waters among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry and asked it to take appropriate steps to implement its verdict by early next month.
“We are surprised that the Centre has not taken any steps. The Centre must place a draft scheme before us by May 3 so that a final stamp is put on it to end the controversy,” a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said. The court also asked senior advocates appearing for Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry “to maintain peace at this juncture”.
Monday’s order of the top court comes on a contempt petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government, which accused the Centre of doing little to follow the court’s directions to set up a Cauvery water management board and monitoring authority within six weeks of the February 16 judgement.
