Cauvery panel refuses to back TN demand for water

Meet held to assess water release by K'taka

The Cauvery Supervisory Committee, headed by Union Water Resources Secretary Alok Rawat, on Monday refused to back Tamil Nadu’s demand that its share of water for the months of July and August be released by Karnataka.

As the Committee met here to take stock of the water release by Karnataka to lower riparian states, aggrieved Tamil Nadu sought an assurance from Karnataka as well as the Committee that its share of 84 tmc feet of water (July’s 34 tmc feet and August’s 50 tmc feet) would be released. But Karnataka refused to give any assurance saying that out of July’s quota of 34 tmc feet, it had already released 24 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet of water to Tamil Nadu and it will try to release the remaining 10 tmc feet at the earliest.
As for the August quota of 50 tmc feet, as and when rain occurs steps will be taken to release water, Karnataka reportedly said.

As both states sparred over water sharing, the Committee ,too, refrained from assuring Tamil Nadu stating that it could only report the quantity of water released by Karnataka, to the Supreme Court at the end of the month.

However, the Committee, which heard all Cauvery basin states’ submissions, will officially announce its decision on Tuesday.

Tamil Nadu is understood to have pointed out that the water it received was natural flows due to monsoon and Karnataka was bound to release its share in accordance with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award notified in February this year.

Puducherry sought to set up two water guaging stations. While there was a general consensus  on the issue, the Committee asked Puducherry to put forth its demand in writing. Tamil Nadu opted to respond to Puducherry's demand in writing after studying the proposal.

TN seeks Kerala’s share

It was learnt that Tamil Nadu also urged the Committee to allocate unutilised 21 tmc of water due to Kerala. Kerala, which has an allocation of 30 tmc in Cauvery basin, is utilising only 9 tmc and the remaining water is being utilised by Karnataka. The committee did not commit on this demand of Tamil Nadu as well.

Tamil Nadu also demanded the formation of the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee immediately. "The government of Tamil Nadu would like to point out that our request to the government of India in this regard has not been acted upon positively,” it said.  
DH News Service