CHENNAI: The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on Monday directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 29. The order came after Tamil Nadu urged the panel to ask Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water for 10 days from August 29 to save paddy crops.
As Karnataka has objected to the order, a final decision on the release of water is expected to be taken by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) at a meeting to be held on Tuesday.
Official sources said Karnataka had strongly opposed the TN’s request for water stating that monsoon is already over and the state had recorded deficit rainfall this year. Karnataka officials also said they require water for irrigation and drinking for the rest of the year and the quantum of Cauvery water requested by Tamil Nadu cannot be released. But TN officials said they did not ask for anything in excess of what was specified by the Supreme Court and wanted Karnataka to honour the court’s verdict. They also referred to the water storage level in Karnataka reservoirs.
Sources said during the meeting held in New Delhi, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department officials gave details about the extent of standing crops that needed water immediately. The TN team also explained how Karnataka had failed to release water as per the monthly schedule stipulated by the SC for the months of June, July, and August. For instance, in June, 9.19 tmcft of water should have been realised at Billigundulu but Karnataka had released only 2.83 tmcft leaving a shortfall of 6.35 tmcft.
Similarly, in July, 31.24 tmcft should have been realised but only 8.74 tmcft was realised leaving a shortfall of 22.49 tmcft. For August, Karnataka has to release 76 tmcft of water but till August 24, only 28.44 tmcft has been released leaving a shortfall of 18.70 tmcft. Thus, till August 24, there was a shortfall of 47.55 tmcft of water from Karnataka, officials said.
Meanwhile, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru said he will consult the state legal team immediately. “Whether the CWRC decision is advantageous or disadvantageous, whether we have water or not (in dams) we have to examine all this. Karnataka has no water and we have to save our crops and ensure drinking water supply for our people,” Siddaramaiah said.
‘I will consult the legal team immediately
“After examining all these factors we will take a decision”, Siddaramaiah said. Replying to the question of reporters whether the state government will take a decision to release the water on Tuesday itself, following the CWRC recommendation, Siddaramaiah said,
“I will consult the legal team immediately.” D K Shivakumar also said CWRC’s direction to release 5,000 cusecs of water is not final as the issue will be placed before the SC. On August 11, a TN officials’ team staged a walkout from the CWMA meeting against its decision to reduce the quantum of water to be released to 10,000 cusecs.
Later, TN moved the SC seeking directions to Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water. SC has directed the CWMA to submit a report by September 1 on the details of water released and levels in Karnataka reservoirs.
K’taka: Monsoon over, need water for drinking
Karnataka officials said monsoon is already over and the state had recorded deficit rainfall this year. They also said the state needed water for irrigation and drinking for the rest of the year and the Cauvery water requested by TN cannot be released. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said he will consult the state legal team immediately
With inputs from Bengaluru