Wednesday, April 26 2006 15:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Madurai: The Tamil Nadu Government should effectively object to the Cauvery Tribunal's directive to the Centre to set up an expert panel to go into the crop pattern and water requirements of the riparian states and see that it gave its verdict, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said today (Apr 26, 2006).

The Tribunal should give its final award. If it did not, then Tamil Nadu could approach the Supreme court and effectively put forth its case. The Government should strongly object to the Experts committee as it would further delay the issue by four or five years, he told reporters here.

The Tribunal Chairman himself was shocked about the view of the two other members, seeking to set up an expert committee.

"The state government should do a deep thinking before presenting its case," he said. "Now all the riparian states had to give their objections through respective lawyers and find a solution," he added.