BENGALURU: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Friday directed Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from October 16. This directive comes two days after the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to TN.
The Karnataka government is now planning to file a writ petition before the Supreme Court. On Friday, Karnataka, in its submission, said that the total water available for Tamil Nadu is more than what is required for its kuruvai and samba crops.
“With the available water resources, TN is comfortably placed. The India Meteorological Department has also predicted that the northeast monsoon will be normal which is an advantage for TN,” Karnataka said. Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Rakesh Singh told reporters in New Delhi that Karnataka has explained to CWMA that the state is not in a position to release water to TN.
“Tamil Nadu asked us to release backlog water. We have clarified that if there is no rain in the rabi season, we cannot release the backlog,” he said. Singh also said that TN demanded 16,000 cusecs of water. “We will go to court and file a petition,” Singh added.
Singh, however, said that Karnataka can release water only if inflow into its reservoirs in the Cauvery basin increases. Singh also said that Karnataka once again raised the need for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project to which the CWMA said a separate meeting was needed to discuss the matter. ENS