Jayalalithaa to carry long wish list to Delhi

Chennai: Establishment of the Cauvery Management Board, resolution of water disputes with neighbouring states and generous financial assistance are some of the key demands expected to be placed before the Union government when Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

Putting an end to Sri Lankan Navy arresting Indian fishermen hailing from Tamil Nadu, extension of Metro rail services and implementation of final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal are other demands expected to be part of the memorandum that Ms Jayalalithaa will submit to Mr Modi.

The Chief Minister will undertake a day’s visit to New Delhi on Tuesday to meet Mr Modi and discuss crucial issues relating to Tamil Nadu. During her trip, she is also likely to meet Finance minister Arun Jaitley while a few other ministers are expected to call on her at the Tamil Nadu House.

Ms Jayalalithaa is also expected to point out to the PM that it has been more than three years since the Union government notified the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on sharing the waters of the Cauvery system among the basin States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala and Union territory of Puducherry. However, the Cauvery Management Authority has not yet been established.

The CWDT had on February 5, 2007 awarded 419 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu, 270 tmcft to Karnataka 270 tmcft, 30 tmcft to Kerala and 7 tmcft to Puducherry.

Another major issue that the Chief Minister will take up is the frequent arrest of fishermen from Tamil Nadu and seizure of their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy. Ms Jayalalithaa has been writing to the Prime Minister very often seeking his intervention in the matter and put an end to apprehension of fishermen.