Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu: Karnataka to decide future course after SC hearing, says minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday said the state would find it difficult to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu as directed by the CWMA.

He said the government would decide its future course of action based on the outcome of a Supreme Court hearing on Thursday, asserting that it would ensure that no injustice was done to the state.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, which met in New Delhi on Tuesday, directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12.


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The Cauvery Water Management Authority subsequently upheld the decision.

"I have held discussions with the Chief Minister (D K Shivakumar) and officials. The CM spoke to our Advocate General and advocates in Delhi. Tamil Nadu's petition is coming up before the Supreme Court tomorrow; it has been listed. We will have an opportunity there, and our advocates will file our objections. Let's see what the Supreme Court says. Thereafter, we will have further options," Reddy said.

Speaking to reporters here, the State Water Resources Minister said the government's future course of action would depend on the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing.

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"Tamil Nadu has filed a petition, and we have been served a notice. We will have an opportunity to present our case there. Based on the outcome, we will decide whether further legal action is required. This is based on the suggestions given by the advocates," he added.

The Tamil Nadu government earlier this month moved the Supreme Court over the Cauvery dispute with Karnataka, contending that the quantum of water directed by the CWRC, as well as the water released by Karnataka, was insufficient.

Earlier, on July 28, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

Citing poor storage levels in its reservoirs, Karnataka had initially maintained that it was unable to release water to the neighbouring state. However, following heavy rainfall in Karnataka's Cauvery catchment areas, the state began releasing water under the earlier 3,500-cusec direction.

Noting that Karnataka had complied with the earlier direction to release 3,500 cusecs a day and had, in fact, released more water to Tamil Nadu, Reddy said, "When the Kabini dam filled due to rains in the catchment area, the water flowed downstream as there was no scope to store it further. About 10 TMC of water has flown."

He said Karnataka had about 76 TMC of water in its reservoirs, of which 36 TMC would be required annually for drinking water, apart from water lost to evaporation and the requirement for rivers and crops.

"We have about 76 TMC of water (in our dams), out of which we will need 36 TMC a year for drinking water. There will also be evaporation, and we will have to release water to rivers and for crops. Asking Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs for 15 days is inappropriate," he said.

Reddy said the earlier direction to release 3,500 cusecs a day was somewhat acceptable, but the latest order to release 12,000 cusecs daily for 15 days, amounting to about 16 TMC, was "too costly" for Karnataka.

He said the state would not have faced difficulty in releasing water if it had been asked to release a smaller quantity, considering its water availability.

"This is too high a quantity," he said.

Noting that the monsoon had not been satisfactory in Karnataka's old Mysuru region, the minister claimed that Tamil Nadu had sufficient water in its reservoirs.

He claimed that Tamil Nadu receives most of its rainfall during the northeast monsoon between October and December and has a better water table than Karnataka.

"Our water table is too low here. Even if we go 800-1,000 feet, we don't get water, while they get water at much higher levels. Despite our Additional Chief Secretary, advocates, and experts effectively putting forward our case with all these facts, the order has come. It will be difficult for us to release 16 TMC of water in 15 days. We have discussed it. We will decide what to do," he said.

"The CM has spoken to advocates in New Delhi and experts. We will ensure that no injustice happens to the state," he added.

Farmers have staged sporadic protests in Cauvery basin districts, including Mandya and Mysuru, against the water release order.

Some pro-Kannada organisations have called for a Karnataka bandh on Thursday to protest the directive, while others have opposed the bandh call.