Wednesday, September 13 2006 15:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Government would take all necessary steps to get the final award of the Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal and ensure that it is implemented, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has said.

Talks would be initiated with the Union Government and neighbouring Karnataka to find a solution to the vexed Cauvery issue, he said while addressing a function organised by the CPI last night at Tiruvarur in Thanjavur district.

"With the cooperation of coalition allies and the people, the state would succeed in getting its due share of Cauvery water," Karunanidhi stated.

Referring to the river linking project to overcome drought, the CM said steps had been taken to link the South Indian rivers.

On promise to distribute two acres of land to landless farmers, Karunanidhi said he was 'misled' by data provided by the previous AIADMK government in the state assembly.

"Former Chief Minister Jayalalitha announced in the budget that there were 25 lakh hectares of wasteland. So I announced we will distribute land to 50 lakh landless farmers. It later emerged that this much land was not available. So whatever is there, will be distributed." Union Minister T R Baalu, State Minister Arcot Veerasamy, CPI state secretary D Pandian and the party's national executive member R Nallakannu were among those who spoke.

The function was organised to felicitate the Chief Minister for having reconstituted the Agricultural Labourers Welfare Board.