BENGALURU: The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on Monday directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days. The direction came after the CWRC heard contentions from both sides, which included TN’s plea to direct Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water for 10 days from August 29 as immediate relief to save the standing Kuruvai crops in its delta districts.
However, Karnataka objected to even releasing 5,000 cusecs of water to TN as directed by CWRC, and a final decision on the release of water will be taken by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday wherein TN has decided to reiterate its demand for 24,000 cusecs over the next 10 days from August 29.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, after the CWRC direction, clarified that before taking any decision he will discuss the matter with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who holds the water resources portfolio, and consult the legal team and irrigation officials.
He said that in a normal year 86 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water should have been released to TN by August 31. But so far, 30 tmcft of water has been released. “The TN government has appealed for release of 24,000 cusecs of water before the committee and we have explained to them about the deficit in rain and the situation in Karnataka. Since there is no distress formula in this regard, we will consult our legal team and irrigation officials and take a final call,” he said.
Official sources said Karnataka strongly objected to TN’s request stating that the monsoon period was over and that the state (Karnataka) received deficit rain this year. They said Karnataka required water for irrigation and drinking purposes for the rest of the year. Hence, the quantum of water requested by TN cannot be released.
However, TN officials said they did not ask for anything in excess of the quantum specified by the SC and that it just wanted Karnataka to honour the court verdict. They referred to the storage levels in Karnataka reservoirs. A three-judge SC bench is scheduled to hear TN’s plea on September 1 after analysing technical reports.
Will consult legal team, says CM
Siddaramaiah asserted, “Whether the CWRC direction is advantageous or disadvantageous to the state, whether we have water or not (in the reservoirs), we have to examine all these. Karnataka has no water and we have to save our crops and safeguard the interests of farmers as well as drinking water needs of the people. After examining all these factors, we will take a decision ... I will consult the legal team immediately.”
Karnataka released 10,000 cusecs of water following the CWMA direction on August 11. But TN filed an application in the SC demanding 24,000 cusecs, questioning the CWMA’s direction.
On August 11, the TN team staged a walkout during the CWMA meeting in protest against the authority’s decision to reduce the quantum of water to be released to 10,000 cusecs from 15,000 cusecs as ordered by the CWRC earlier. Later, the TN government moved the SC seeking its direction to Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water. The apex court posted the matter for next hearing on September 1 and directed the CWMA to submit a report on water released, storage levels in Karnataka reservoirs, etc.
Karnataka filed its affidavit against TN’s application before the SC for release of 24,000 cusecs of water per day for 10 days on August 24, stating that it was based on an assumption that this year normal rain was received in Karnataka.
On August 25, the Supreme Court refused to pass an order stating that it did not possess the expertise and sought a report from the authorities concerned with technical expertise before September 1. Now, with the CWRC’s direction to Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water and CWMA’s meeting on Tuesday, all eyes are on the three-judge SC bench that sits on September 1.