CHENNAI: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), chaired by SK Haldar, on Tuesday directed Karnataka to release 1 tmcft (around 12,000 cusecs) of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from Wednesday. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) had recommended the release of water earlier in the day.
The CWMA direction comes amid Tamil Nadu’s allegation that Karnataka had failed to comply with an earlier order to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to the state.
The CWRC, had on July 28, directed Karnataka to ensure a flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu for 15 days from July 29. The direction was later upheld by the CWMA.
However, Tamil Nadu told the authorities that the actual flow recorded at Biligundlu was only between 158 cusecs and 550 cusecs from July 29 to August 2, much below the stipulated 3,500 cusecs.
WRD: K’taka plans to challenge latest direction in the SC
Besides, Karnataka maintained that it has to meet its own water requirements and expressed concern over the storage levels in its reservoirs and the inflow of water.
A senior Water Resources Department (WRD) official told TNIE that Karnataka’s main concern was not the immediate availability of water but the storage position in its reservoirs.
“Karnataka is concerned whether the present reservoir storage will be sufficient to meet drinking water and irrigation requirements if the southwest monsoon remains weaker than normal,” the official said.
The Cauvery reservoirs in Karnataka are the main source of drinking water in several delta districts of Tamil Nadu and also support irrigation activities.
“We have requested the CWMA to ensure the release of water to Tamil Nadu,” the official added. Meanwhile, WRD officials said the Karnataka government is planning to move the SC by filing a fresh petition challenging the latest direction.
