CHENNAI: Despite the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directing Karnataka to ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 25, inflows into the Mettur Dam have remained below the stipulated level for four consecutive days from August 27 to 30, raising concerns among delta farmers ahead of the dam’s opening for irrigation on September 1.
The CWMA direction requires Karnataka to release water from its reservoirs and ensure that 9,000 cusecs is realised at Biligundlu. On August 25, Karnataka began releasing water as directed. However, data accessed from Water Resources Department (WRD) showed that Mettur Dam got 10,405 cusecs on August 26, 7,454 cusecs on August 27, 7,094 cusecs on August 28, 6,702 cusecs on August 29 and 6,887 cusecs on August 30. Even accounting for transmission loss of 1%-2%, the shortfall has raised concerns.
The latest CWMA direction modified a prior direction as per which Karnataka was to release 12,000 cusecs a day for 15 days from August 12. The water year is recorded from June 1 and Tamil Nadu had already seen a severe shortfall of its share as dictated under the SC-modified water-sharing schedule, with the state only receiving 25.58 tmcft at Biligundlu against the 80.45 tmcft prescribed by August 27.
The shortfall of 54.87 tmcft means the state received less than one-third of the scheduled quantity during the period. As per the latest CWMA direction, TN is supposed to receive 11.66 tmcft over a 15-day period beginning August 25. The state, which was unable to open the Mettur Dam for delta irrigation on June 12 as customary, has announced that it would open the dam on September 1.
Delta farmers want TN govt to insist on daily release of Cauvery water
“If there is any shortfall in the stipulated quantity, we will take up the matter with the CWMA,” a senior WRD official told TNIE. KV Elankeeran, president of the Federation of Cauvery Delta Farmers Association, criticised the government for failing to ensure the receipt of TN’s due share.
“Ever since the CWMA was constituted, we have been urging the TN government to insist on the daily release of Cauvery water as ordered by the Supreme Court. However, the government is accounting for the water received on a monthly basis,” he said. Elankeeran also alleged that the monthly accounting allowed Karnataka to include surplus water flowing during periods of heavy rain while calculating TN’s share. KRG Tamil Vanan, state secretary of the association, urged the state government to postpone the September 1 opening of the Mettur dam until adequate inflow is ensured.
He pointed out that farmers in the Cauvery delta had already lost the Kuruvai season due to inadequate water and were not fully prepared for the ensuing Samba season. Many canals, particularly those serving tail-end areas, remain completely dry, he said. “Unless at least 20,000 cusecs of water is released from Mettur, it may not reach the tail-end areas. Farmers there will suffer without adequate water,” Tamil Vanan added.