Coimbatore : Tamil Nadu and the State farmers are in a state of shock and disappointment by the ruling of the Supreme Court, reducing the water quantum for the State.

Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) general secretary ER Eswaran said the reduction in quantum of water to 177.25 tmc from 192 had deprived the rights of Tamil Nadu and its farmers, who were expecting justice from the final verdict.

While the court had not reduced the share of water to Puducherry and Kerala, the reduction to Tamil Nadu, citing 20 tmc underground water, was not acceptable, he said in a statement.

The responsibility of Tamil Nadu Government to protect farmers, particularly those in Delta district, had gone up and the Centre should at least take immediate steps and constitute a Cauvery management board.

Meanwhile, Peasants and Workers Party president K Chellamuthu expressed hope that the Government should ensure Tamil Nadu get its share of 177.25 tmc without any problem, since the Supreme Court had ruled that no State could claim the ownership of Cauvery.

The Centre should constitute the management board at the earliest, Chellamuthu said.