Centre seeks two weeks to frame draft scheme on Cauvery
New Delhi, April 27: Amid turmoil on the issue in Tamil Nadu, the Central government on Friday sought two more weeks' time to place before the Supreme Court a draft scheme for the implementation of its verdict on the sharing of Cauvery river water, but the court did not give any immediate relief.
Government lawyer Syed Wasim Ahmed Qadri sought more time in a mentioning before a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra.
Seeking permission to file an application in this regard, Qadri said that consultations with all parties -- Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry -- and the experts were on and it would require some more time to formulate the draft scheme.
Refusing permission to move the application, Chief Justice Misra asked the Central government to say whatever it wanted on the next date of hearing on May 3.
In the last hearing of the matter on April 9, the Central government sought three months' time to formulate the draft scheme as it cited the upcoming election to Karnataka Assembly and also clarifications on whether the scheme should be headed by an administrative or a technical member.
Telling the government that it was "bound to do it and obliged to it", the court had said it was none of its concern who heads the scheme to be put in place for carrying out its February 16, 2018 verdict.
The court had also asked the Central government to prove its bonafides by framing the scheme.
"You must show your bonafide that you will frame a scheme to respect the top court order for the distribution of water."
The top court by its February 16 verdict had reduced Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water to 177.25 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), which was less than 192 TMC allocated by a tribunal in 2007.
Karnataka's share of water was increased by 14.75 TMC.
Tamil Nadu had moved the top court on March 31, seeking contempt proceedings against the Central government for its "wilful disobedience" in carrying out its direction to set up a Cauvery Management Board and a Cauvery Water Regulation Committee as directed by the top court.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Man accused of rape-murder of 5-year-old lynched to death in Bengal; Girl’s body found in pond
Alipurduar: A 40-year-old man accused of raping and murdering a five-year-old girl was allegedly tied to a tree and beaten to death by agitated locals in Alipurduar district located in West Bengal on Friday evening. Later, another man surrendered before the police claiming he was also involved in the crime, and was subsequently arrested.
The girl went missing on Friday evening. When her family began searching for the girl, they learned that she had last been seen with Mona Roy, as reported by the Indian Express.
The police said that the girl’s body was found floating in a local pond. They added that the locals caught Roy and took him to his residence where they allegedly noticed blood on the bed. Enraged by this, they tied Roy to a tree and started assaulting him.
Roy was beaten to death before the local police could reach the spot.
When the police arrived at the scene, angry locals prevented them from moving the two bodies. Eventually, a large team of police personnel was sent to the location. After two hours, they were able to remove the bodies from the area.
The bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination.
Meanwhile, a man named Bhakta Roy approached the police, claiming that he was involved in the crime and feared for his safety from the angry mob. He was subsequently arrested.
Y. Raghuvanshi, Superintendent of Police, Alipurduar, asserted it is a heinous crime, adding that they have started a detailed investigation in connection to the incident.
