Veerappan's demands and the response

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, AUG. 6. The following are Veerappan's demands and the response of the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governments:

- Demand 1:

A permanent solution to the Cauvery issue should be found based on justice. The interim order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal should be implemented and 205 tmc ft of water released immediately. There should not be any complication in future.

Response:

The Cauvery River Authority has been set up with the Prime Minister as Chairman to implement the interim order. The Authority will decide on any problems. The Tribunal's final verdict will come soon.

- Demand 2:

Adequate and justifiable compensation should be paid to Tamil victims of the 1991 Cauvery riots. Also, Karnataka should protect life and property of Tamils.

Response:

The Karnataka Government constituted the Cauvery Riots Relief Authority in May 1999, as directed by the Supreme Court. The Authority received about 10,000 claims including 2,000 transferred from Tamil Nadu. The deadline for its work had been extended with the Supreme Court's approval up to May 31, 2001.

- Demand 3:

Tamil should be declared additional administrative language in Karnataka, as Tamils form the second largest community in that State.

Response:

As instructed by the Centre, Karnataka issued orders in May 1999 that in areas where the linguistic minority constituted over 15 per cent of the population, Government notices should be in the minority language as well.

- Demand 4:

Karnataka should immediately install the Thiruvalluvar statue in Bangalore.

Response:

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will unveil the statues of Thiruvalluvar and Sarvajna in Bangalore and Chennai respectively.

- Demand 5:

Karnataka should act immediately to vacate the stay order of the Karnataka High Court, on the Sadashiva Commission, set up to probe alleged Task Force atrocities. The Commission's report should be made public, and Karnataka should grant compensation - Rs. 10 lakhs to rape victims, and kin of those killed, Rs. five lakhs to others affected. Guilty police officers should be punished.

Response:

The Karnataka Government will take steps to get the injunction vacated.

The NHRC, acting on complaints about harassment of the villagers and tribals by the Task Force, constituted a two-member panel in June 1999 to probe. This committee, comprising Mr. Sadashiva, former Karnataka High Court Judge and Mr. C.V. Narasimhan, former CBI director, held three sittings. The Karnataka Government will comply with the NHRC's final recommendation.

- Demand 6:

Innocent detenus in Karnataka jails should be released.

Response:

TADA charges will be dropped immediately, leading to the release of prisoners.

- Demand 7:

Adequate compensation for families of nine SC/STs killed (in Karnataka).

Response:

Compensation will be considered favourably.

- Demand 8:

The minimum procurement price for green leaves should be enhanced to Rs. 15 immediately to help farmers in the Nilgiris.

Response:

The Centre and Tamil Nadu had acted to raise procurement price for tea and brought it to around Rs. 9.50 from Rs. 4.50.

- Demand 9:

Five persons who are now in Tamil Nadu prisons should be released.

Response:

The demand will be considered favourably.

- Demand 10:

Solve problems of Manjolai Estate workers in Tamil Nadu, and fix minimum wages for coffee and tea estate workers in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka at Rs. 150 per day.

Response:

Estate workers in Tamil Nadu get a minimum wage of Rs. 74.62 per day. If expenditure on housing, medical facilities, and welfare measures is taken into account, the wages come to Rs. 139 per day. The wage is higher than that of Kerala and West Bengal. Further rise in wages could be settled through negotiations.

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