BENGALURU/CHENNAI : In a major setback for Karnataka, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Thursday upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) order directing the state to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu every day for the next 15 days, despite its objection citing poor storage in reservoirs and a weak monsoon.
The direction was issued during the 54th CWMA meeting, which was attended by representatives of Cauvery basin states, including Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Following the CWMA directive, the Karnataka government announced that it will explore legal options against the order and decide its future course of action.
Tamil Nadu informed CWMA that Karnataka had failed to release its due share of water as stipulated in the Supreme Court’s final verdict. As against the scheduled release of 37.4068tmcft between June 1 and July 28 in the current water year, Tamil Nadu received only 3.5730tmcft, leaving a shortfall of 33.8338 tmcft.
Karnataka, however, opposed the demand, stating that storage in its reservoirs was inadequate to meet both irrigation and drinking water requirements. It also cited deficient Southwest monsoon rainfall as the reason for its inability to release water to Tamil Nadu.
After hearing both the sides, the CWMA directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.
