The Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to mention on Monday its plea seeking to direct the Karnataka government to forthwith release from its reservoirs 24,000 cusecs commencing from August 14, 2023 to meet the pressing demands of standing crops.
The plea was mentioned by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi before a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud on Friday. Urging the court to list its plea in the Cauvery water dispute row, Rohatgi said that the standing crops in delta districts need water urgently.
It has been argued in the plea that the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had on August 11, 2023 reduced the cusecs from 15000 to 10000 (0.864 TMC per day) which was to be released by Karnataka for the next 15 days from KRS and Kabini reservoirs to be realised at Billigundulu but even this has not been complied with by the Karnataka government.
“The actual flow recorded at Billigundulu on 11.08.2023; 12.08.2023; 13.08.2023 and 14.08.2023 was 6148, 4852, 4453 and about 4000 cusecs, respectively,” the plea states.
Highlighting the efforts that have been undertaken by the Tamil Nadu government to get its due share of water from Karnataka, the plea states that Karnataka is duty bound to release the water as per the orders passed by the top court.
“14.913 lakh acres (net area) are dependent on Mettur reservoir for irrigation, which in turn depends on the flows realized at Billigundulu, based on the flows released by Karnataka from KRS and Kabini reservoirs, which gets major portion of inflows during South West Monsoon. During this monsoon period, both Kuruvai and Samba crops are sown and transplanted in the Cauvery Delta. Hence, the release of water from Mettur during South West Monsoon is crucial. About 4 million farmers and about 10 million labourers both directly and indirectly depend on Mettur water for their livelihood. The agricultural operations in the Cauvery delta are suffering for want of adequate water and the crops are facing water stress, which would affect the agricultural production,” stated the plea.
Against this backdrop, the state has sought implementation of the top court’s February 16, 2018 ruling directing the Karnataka government to deliver Cauvery waters to the state at the designated point as per monthly schedule.
The TN govt has also prayed that the Karnataka government be directed to ensure the stipulated release of water for September, make good the shortfall of 28.849 TMC during the current irrigation year and the CWMA be directed to ensure implementation of directions issued to Karnataka and give effect to the stipulated monthly releases during the remaining period of the current water year.