The prime minister tried in vain to reach a consensus on setting up of the Cauvery valley authority with powers to settle inter-state disputes among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry, according to sources.

Karnataka chief minister JH Patel, however, put his foot down maintaining his state was only in favour of a coordination committee which would monitor implementation of the Cauvery tribunal award.

Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, it is learnt, was agreeable to formation of the authority on lines suggested by the centre. He was of the view, however, that the authority must be given absolute powers to settle the waters issue.

The Karnataka chief minister stressed that the centre should finalise immediately the guidelines under thenational water policy for sharing inter-state river waters as part of the national water policy. He disputed the very formation of the Cauvery tribunal without first formulating the guidelines for sharing inter-state river waters.

The prime minister level meeting was preceded by a meeting of chief secretaries of all the four riparian states to find a solution to the vexed issue. The meeting ended without any positive outcome.

In his speech at the meeting, the prime minister stressed the necessity of evolving an appropriate national policy within the framework of which river water disputes could be amicably resolved in the shortest possible time.

Calling for a collective endeavour for evolving solutions to long-standing river water disputes, the prime minister suggested a give-and-take approach for the overall good of the people of riparian states. With the rising demand for water in every part of the country, it is hardly surprising that the claims of the available waters were multiplying, headded.

Without going into the details of the legal issues and the ongoing proceedings before the Supreme Court, the prime minister drew attention to the directions of the court regarding the framing of a scheme for the implementation of the interim order of the tribunal.

The prime minister said the draft scheme was framed and the states concerned sent their comments on it. The minister of state for water resources discussed the draft scheme with his counterparts in the states with a view to bringing about a consensus. The prime minister further said that because of divergent views expressed by the states, no consensus could be reached. Meanwhile, the Cauvery case continued to be heard by the Supreme Court periodically. In the last hearing, the centre was given time till August 12 to try and resolve issues relating to the framing of the scheme for implementation of the interim order of the tribunal.