Wednesday, July 27 2005 15:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu has decided to organize a massive fast in front of Central Government offices in the state tomorrow (July 28, 2005) on the Cauvery waters issue.

In a statement here today, AIADMK General secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, said that the fast, from 10 AM to 6 PM, was being organized since the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh had not given any 'assurance' to her on release of Cauvery water by Karnataka, when she called on him in Delhi yesterday (July 26, 2005).

"We are not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and the Prime Minister had not given any assurance to us", she said in the statement.

Jayalalithaa said the Central Government had not taken any 'tangible' step, either in condemning the attitude of the Karnataka Government or getting the state's due share of water from Karnataka, as per the interim award of the Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal.

"If Karnataka continues with its adamant attitude of not releasing water, there is every danger of the whole of the Cauvery Delta going dry and fallow", she cautioned.

Pointing out that the party had organized statewide demonstrations on July 22 on the same issue, she recalled the meeting she had with the Prime Minister yesterday in Delhi and said though she had sought an appointment with him on Monday last, she got it only yesterday.

"Similarly, the Karnataka Chief Minister, without realizing the importance, had not given an appointment for July 26, as sought by us", she said.

It 's become a practice for the K'taka Govt to release only 'excess' water

Jayalalithaa said it had become a practice for the Karnataka Government to release only 'excess' water, when it was unable to store water anymore in all its dams.

"If Karnataka had released water on a weekly basis from the first week of June, as directed by the Tribunal in its interim award, the state would have opened the Mettur dam for irrigation on June 12 to enable farmers raise the 'kuruvai' (short term) paddy crop. This could not be done even this year," she said, adding that even now, it was not too late.

If Karnataka released Tamil Nadu's share, sowing operations could soon be started in the Cauvery delta area.

Jayalalithaa said "The meeting with the Prime Minister yesterday has not satisfied us. He neither gave any assurance to us nor directed Karnataka to release water immediately, despite my updating him with facts and figures on present storage of water in Karnataka dams".

"Though he concurred with my statistics, he merely said that a team would be sent to Karnataka to assess the present situation, which is nothing but delaying tactics", she said and wondered what new data the team would be able to collect.

"If the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government is really keen on helping Tamil Nadu,it could have easily compelled Karnataka to release water immediately, as the storage situation there is comfortable".

The presentation of a memorandum by the Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam (DMK) delegation on Monday last was nothing but an 'eyewash', she said, adding that these parties could 'trumpet' and say that Tamil Nadu got water only because of their efforts.

"But the reality is that only excess water is being released', she said, adding that the AIADMK had therefore decided to organize a state-wide fast tomorrow, pleading for immediate release of water.