The Centre today told Supreme Court that it cannot be directed to set up the Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB). However, it informed about setting up a technical panel to assess the ground realities to defuse the wrangle between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.<br/><br/>As the apex court ordered the Karnataka government to apprise it by tomorrow afternoon whether it has released water to Tamil Nadu as per its directions of September 30, the Centre urged it to review or recall the order asking it to set up the CWMB on the ground that the issue fell under the domain of the legislature.<br/><br/>Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who mentioned the Centre's application before a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, brought to the notice of the bench that it should not have asked it to set up the CWMB as the main civil appeal on the issue was still pending. He also said that the Centre was not a party before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal which had sought the establishment of the CWMB.<br/><br/>The petition contends that the Centre is conscious that the "sanctity" of the court orders must be upheld besides "dignity and majesty" of the judicial system. The apex court had also directed the Centre to establish the CWMB, saying once it was constituted, its team would visit the sites to take a prima facie view of the ground reality and submit a report.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, Political parties and farmers associations have expressed deep anguish and disappointment over the Centre's opposition to the formation of the Cauvery Management Board as directed by the Supreme Court. <br/><br/>The DMK chief M.Karunanidhi in a statement has said the Centre is functioning like the mouthpiece of the Karnataka government. He said the submission of the Attorney General of India in the apex court shows that the Centre appears to be on the same page as Karnataka, in a partisan manner, belittlling the whole judicial process. <br/><br/>PMK founder Dr Ramadoss in a statement said political comnspiracy is the cause of delay in formation of the Cauvery Management Board, which should have been formed in 2007 itself, as the Cauvery Tribunal gave its final award in February that year. <br/><br/>Terming the Centre's stand in the apex court as an open betrayal of Tamil Nadu, MDMK general secretary Vaiko appealed Centre to withdraw its affidavit and constitute the Cauvery Management Board without any further delay.