CWRC recommends releasing 3,000 cusecs of water daily to TN amid Bengaluru bandh over Cauvery issue

The recommendation comes at a time when Bengaluru is under the grips of a bandh called by the Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samithi to protest the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), based on deliberations of a meeting held on Tuesday, recommended that Karnataka release 3,000 cusecs of water daily at Biligundlu starting from 8 am on September 28 upto October 15.

In the CWRC meeting, Karnataka said it is not in a position to release any water from its reservoirs or contribute any flows from its reservoirs to the flows that are to be maintained at the interstate border Biligundlu. 

Karnataka also pointed at the shortfall in cumulative inflows to its four reservoirs and said that upto September 25, 2023 it was 53.04 per cent.

The state added that it was facing severe water crisis as it declared total 161 talukas as severely drought affected and 34 talukas as moderately drought affected.

Out of this, 32 severely drought affected Talukas and 15 moderately drought affected Talukas fall in the Cauvery basin. This aspect needed utmost recognition and invites critical consideration by the committee, Karnataka said in the committee meeting. 

Tamil Nadu said that Karnataka has to reduce it's irrigation supply based on the distress proportion and must release shortfall quantity immediately & further flows as per the distress proportion.

Finally CWRC recommended Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs at Biligundlu daily starting from September 28 upto October 15.