THANJAVUR: Even as Karnataka refused to abide by the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to release 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from September 9, delta farmers have urged the state government to immediately approach the Supreme Court. The farmers have expressed concern over the situation as inflow into Mettur dam dwindled to 1,731 cusecs on Friday morning.
This year water was released from Mettur dam for delta irrigation only on September 1 against the customary date of June 12. This was because Karnataka failed to release water as per the final award of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT). Even as the tribunal’s final orders modified by the Supreme Court had envisaged 86.4 tmcft for June, July and August, Karnataka released only 33 tmcft till first week of September, farmers claimed.
During a meeting of CWMA held on September 8, TN said that as per pro rata entitlement during a distress year, 1.76 tmcft has to be released for 15 days. However, the CWMA had ordered only 6,000 cusecs for 15 days from September 9. Karnataka is not ready to release even this quantity and announced it would approach the SC and also reduced the release.
“Karnataka adopts tactics of not releasing water as per CWMA orders. In past instances even when the Supreme Court upheld the CWMA order, the upper riparian state started releasing water only from the date and failed to release the backlog,” alleged Sami Natarajan, general secretary of TN Farmers association.
He pointed out that water released by Karnataka and subsequently from Mettur dam is yet to reach several areas in the Cauvery delta districts and farmers are finding it difficult to cultivate samba paddy.
SC to hear K’taka’s petition on Monday
Mandya: Karnataka’s Irrigation Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said the appeal filed by the state against the release of Cauvery water to TN is scheduled to come up for hearing before the SC on Monday. He said Karnataka was compelled to continue releasing water to TN until the hearing.
