CHENNAI: The 13th meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday dropped a discussion on the Mekedatu dam issue following strong opposition from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Concluding the meeting, the authority directed Karnataka to make good on the water due to TN (27.86 tmc as on August 30) in September. The next meeting of the authority will be held on September 24.
Admitting that the Mekedatu issue was part of the CWMA’s agenda, the authority’s chief SK Haldar told reporters, “We wanted to discuss the issue. But taking the views from other States, we have deferred the discussion. We will be taking it up at an appropriate time, probably in the next meeting.
Similarly, TN wanted to discuss the Cauvery-Gundar River Linking Project. That was deferred since Karnataka objected to it.” TN represented that there was a shortfall in the release of water from Karnataka and that the State required water during September as they have overlapping of Kuruvai and Samba cultivations in the month.
Meanwhile, sources in Karnataka government said they had been keen to allay TN’s fears on the project when the dam was discussed.
‘Mekedatu can be taken up only if all States agree’
SAXENA pointed out that the State’s petition demanding rejection of the Detailed Project Report submitted by Karnataka was pending before the Supreme Court and that the Mekedatu issue could be discussed only if all four riparian States agreed to it.
“As per the Supreme Court’s verdict, Karnataka should have released 86.380 tmc water to Tamil Nadu during the months of June, July, and August. However, till August 30, only 57.042 tmc has been released and the State has to release an additional 27.86 tmc,” said an official release.
When officials from Karnataka argued that even two days ago, around 14,000 cusecs of water had been released, their Tamil Nadu counterparts said the water was released from Kabini and Krishanarajasagar dams considering their safety, as the reservoirs were filling up fast due to rains. This should not be calculated as part of the water due as per the schedule given by the Supreme Court, the Tamil Nadu officials said. Dams in Karnataka should have received 209 tmc water, but had received only 156 tmc till date, said Karnataka officials, and as such, there was a deficit of 25 tmc.
Hence, due water could not be given to Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan informed the State Assembly that he had called up Union Jal Sakthi Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and raised concerns over the reports that Mekedatu was on the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s agenda.
“Responding to it, the Union Jal Sakthi Minister said that he was unaware of the matter and assured that he would talk to the officials concerned about it. He also suggested that the Tamil Nadu representatives could urge the authority to drop Mekedatu from the meeting agenda,” said the Water Resources Minister.