TN seeks removal of Cauvery panel head
“There is every likelihood of conflict of interests arising in the discharge of the dual positions CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu governheld by Hussain,” the petition ment has moved Supreme Court contended and accused him of seeking removal of Central Water being partial to Karnataka. To Commission (CWC) chairman substantiate this, the petition Masood Hussain as the head of cited the Project Appraisal Cauvery Management Authority Directorate (South) of the CWC (CMA), citing conflict of interest. having entertained the feasibility It also sought a direction to the report submitted by Karnataka Centre to appoint a full-time indeand then granting the go-ahead pendent Chairman to the CMA. for preparation of the DPR for
This comes in the wake of the Mekedatu project. This after CWC granting permission to Karturning down Tamil Nadu’s nataka to proceed with the objections at the last CMA meetDetailed Project Report (DPR) for ing, it pointed out. the 66 TMC Mekedatu reservoir Even six months after its conproject across river Cauvery, stitution, the CMA is yet to have a upstream of Mettur dam in Tamil full-time independent chairman Nadu. Opposing the project as and other members, jettisoning being detrimental to the interests the objective with which it was of farmers in the delta region, the established, the petition said. Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed The Centre approving Karnaa unanimous resolution, taka’s demand on the Mekedatu demanding the withdrawal of project is seen by the Opposition permission given to Karnataka. as a move to bolster the electoral
Tamil Nadu has cited the apex prospects of the BJP in the neighcourt verdict in the Cauvery disbouring state as it has no foothold pute which states that Karnataka in Tamil Nadu. This has been could not impound water by condescribed as a betrayal to Tamil structing any dam without the Nadu farmers and the Dmk-led consent of lower riparian state. secular alliance has staged a mas
In the petition, Tamil Nadu sive demonstration in Trichy. sought the removal of Hussain as Chief minister Edappadi K Palthe interim chairman of CMA and aniswami wrote to Prime Minispleaded for a direction to the Center Narendra Modi to direct the tre to appoint a regular chairman CWC to immediately withdraw to the statutory body, which manthe permission given to Karnaages and regulates the storage taka for the DPR as the move had and apportionment of Cauvery created anguish and anxiety water among the basin states. among the people of Tamil Nadu. JAMMU: Thirteen people died and 15 others were injured in the early hours of Saturday when a passenger bus they were travelling in veered off the road and plunged into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, police said.
According to the police, the driver of the bus, going from Loran to Poonch, lost control over the vehicle and it fell into a gorge at Plera, nearly 30 km away from Poonch.
“The road was under repair and there was a curve at the place of occurrence. Apparently, driver couldn’t control the wheels and the bus plunged into a gorge,” an official with the traffic police said.
Of the 30 passengers on board, six died on the spot and seven died on the way to the hospital, he added.
Soon after the incident, the district administration arranged an air ambulance for those in critical condition, he added.
The injured have been shifted to a sub-district hospital in Mandi and some have been airlifted to Jammu for specialised medical attention.
District development commissioner of Poonch, Rahul Yadav, said, “The driver is also among the dead...conductor is seriously injured. It (the passenger bus) was not overloaded. It was 42-seater bus and had nearly 30 people. The exact cause of the mishap will be known after investigations.”
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed grief over the incident. As per a PTI report, the governor said his prayers were with the
POLICE SAID THE DRIVER OF THE BUS, WHICH HAD 30 PEOPLE ON BOARD, WAS GOING FROM LORAN TO POONCH WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE AND IT
FELL INTO THE GORGE
departed souls and bereaved families.
Malik has also wished the injured a speedy recovery, the report stated.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) demanded an investigation into the frequent accidents in the mountainous belts.
A special team of officials should be constituted to check the condition of old vehicles on roads, especially in hilly and far-flung areas, PTI quoted the JKPCC as saying in a statement. It also demanded adequate compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and the injured, the report stated. their
19 INJURED IN SAMBA
Meanwhile, a bus rolled down into gorge at Chilla Danga in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, injuring 19 passengers, six of them critically, said police. The critically injured have been referred to the GMC hospital Jammu, an official added.