53% shortfall in inflow into Cauvery basin reservoirs: minister

The shortfall in the inflow of water in the four reservoirs of the Cauvery basin stands at 52.94% and the present storage levels were not sufficient to meet the irrigation requirement for the kharif season, Water Resources Minister M B Patil said on Wednesday.

Patil told reporters in Bengaluru that deficient rainfall had resulted in poor inflow into the four reservoirs — Harangi, Hemavathi, KRS and Kabini. He said the total inflow received during the water year from June 1 stood at 57.83 tmcft as against the long-term 43-year average inflow of 122.88 tmcft — a shortfall of 52.94%.

The total live storage in the four reservoirs as on date stood at 43.3 tmcft as against 52 tmcft on the same date last year. The water levels last year was considered a historic low in the last 40 years, he said.

He said Karnataka has released 7 tmcft water to Tamil Nadu since June 1 as against 34 tmcft as stipulated by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) award. “As of now, 2017-18 appears to be a distress year. The releases as stipulated by the CWDT award is not possible.”

 Patil said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will convene a meeting with various stakeholders, including farmers, soon to decide on the next step of action following the distress situation in the Cauvery basin.