Appoint chairman for Cauvery panel: Jayalalithaa

Chennai, April 19 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Thursday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appoint a new chairman for Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal following the resignation of Justice N.P. Singh.

In a letter to the prime minister, the text of which was released to the media here, Jayalalithaa said: "I understand that the Chairman of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal Shri Justice N.P. Singh has tendered his resignation on health grounds."

Referring to the Tribunal's final order on Feb 5, 2007 allocating the Cauvery water among the states, she said the order is yet to be notified.

"Meanwhile, the petitions under section 5(3) of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, seeking explanation or guidance by the party states and the Government of India are pending before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal since 2007," she said.

She said the Tamil Nadu government in March 2012 filed a civil miscellaneous petition before the tribunal to take up the pending applications filed by the party states and the central government under section 5(3) of the Act and dispose of the same at the earliest.

"The Tribunal on March 23, 2012 had also issued notice about listing of this civil miscellaneous petition before the tribunal on April 17, 2012. However, this petition was not taken up due to the resignation of Shri Justice N.P. Singh," Jayalalithaa said.

Stating that the resignation of Singh at this crucial jucture has caused deep concern and anxiety in the minds of the people of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa said the tribunal cannot function without the chairman and urged the post be filled soon.