Cauvery panel asks Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu
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.