NEW DELHI: The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has expressed satisfaction over the Cauvery water flow from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu’s reservoir Mettur Dam. The committee has now directed the Tamil Nadu government to release water to Puducherry to meet its shortfall.
In its 101st meeting, the CWRC assessed that Karnataka has released 156.2 TMC water flows at interstate point Biligundlu, between June 1 and August 11, 2024 which is more than the required amount for the whole of monsoon.
As per water flow breakup at Biligundlu, Karnataka has released 98.8 tmcft water in June and July and another 55 TMC water flows between August 1 and August 11.
According to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), as modified by the Supreme Court, Karnataka needs to transfer 87tmcft water between June to August. So far, it has transferred 156.2tmcft which is significantly higher than the stipulated seasonal target of 123tmcft between June-September.
“Because of good rainfall in the Cauvery basin, Karnataka has been releasing around 4.58tmcft water towards Biligundlu against the requirement 1.5tmcft per day,” said Vineet Gupta, Chairman, CWRC.
“The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the basin will receive another spell of good rain for another 7-8 days. The basin has been receiving uninterrupted rain since July 14, which has eased the water stress in the region,” added Gupta.
However, while Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu has been soaked up with water flows form Karnataka, another important stakeholder of the Cauvery water, Puducherry is still facing shortage of water, as per CWDT order modified by the Supreme Court.
“We found that Puducherry’s Karaikal reservoirs have a shortfall of 0.43 TMC water and instructed Tamil Nadu to release watter to Karaikal reservoir from Mettur,” said Gupta.
He further said that it would take some time to reach water from Mettur to Puducherry. Puducherry’s Nallambal reservoir received the season’s first water from Mettur Dam on August 6. Subsequently, the local administration released water for agricultural purpose.
The next meeting of CWRC is scheduled on August 30 to reassess the situation in the Cauvery basin.