Form panel of farmers and parties to discuss water issue

Coimbatore, Sep 10 (PTI) Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchipresident Tol Thirumavalavan today suggested setting up of acommittee, comprising representatives of all political partiesand farmers associations, to discuss vexed inter-State waterdisputes. The committee, thus constituted, should meet the primeminister and put forward the water rights of Tamil Nadu onrivers like Cauvery, Palar, Siruvani and Mekedatu, so that apermanent solution could be arrived at, Thirumavalavan toldreporters here. Alleging that the state government was hesitating toconvene an all party meeting to discuss such serious issues,he said his party always preferred such meetings so that asolution could be found from different opinions. On reports appearing in social media that VCK wassupporting Karnataka on Cauvery issue, Thirumavalavan saidthe post was an old one, which, he alleged, was beingexploited by pro-Kannada organisations. "VCK will always stand and fight for the cause of TamilNadu," he said. Thirumavalavan welcomed Karnataka chief ministerSiddaramaiah writing to the prime minister on convening ameeting of the chief ministers of riparian states to discussthe Cauvery water dispute. On local body polls, he said his party will fight it inthe company of left parties and MDMK. PTI NVMBN