Tamil Nadu river linking project: Karnataka yet to file appeal in Supreme Court

Karnataka apprehended that Tamil Nadu may lay a claim on surplus water in its side of Cauvery basin

Despite Karnataka's legal team preparing a petition to file in the Supreme Court against Cauvery-Vellaru-Vaigai-Gundar linking scheme in Tamil Nadu, the state government is yet to give its nod.

"The legal team has prepared and submitted a draft petition to the state government two months back. But the state government is yet to give approval to to file it in Supreme Court," sources in the state government said.

"If the state government is serious about its objection, they should have taken quick decision on draft petition. The greater the delay in filing, the lesser would be chance to win the case," said a lawyer.

Earlier, Karnataka apprehended that Tamil Nadu may lay a claim on surplus water in Karnataka's side of Cauvery basin if the neighbouring state goes head with its Cauvery-Vellaru-Vaigai-Gundar linking scheme.

Read | Do not pursue Mekedatu project: Stalin to Yediyurappa

Karnataka feels that Tamil Nadu, which is opposing the Mekedatu project near Kanakapura, may demand more water from Karnataka once its river linking project is completed.

The then-Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi along with officials of Water Resources Department in February held meeting with legal experts in Delhi and announced that Karnataka would approach the Supreme Court against Tamil Nadu's project. Jarkiholi also met Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Shekhawat to appraise the state's concerns on the project.

The then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami laid the foundation stone for the first phase of Cauvery-Vellaru-Vaigai-Gundar linking scheme in February this year, which will be built at Rs 6,900 crore to provide water to Southern region of Tamil Nadu by utilising surplus Cauvery water.

The entire 262-km river- linking project, built on a cost of Rs 14,000 crore, aims to divert 6,300 cubic feet of surplus Cauvery water during floods and increase groundwater levels. The project is being implemented under Centre's river linking scheme.

Karnataka is worried that once the project is completed, the neighbouring state may put legal hurdles to Karnataka to utilise its share of excess water generated in its part of the basin in coming days, said an official in Karnataka.

According to Karnataka, after ensuring 177.25 tmc feet to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu water gauging centre in a normal year, the rest belongs to Karnataka, which includes its share of 284.75 tmc feet and surplus water whenever available. However the Tamil Nadu government has been opposing Karnataka's view.

"If Tamil Nadu says Karnataka should not utilise its surplus water, then the neighbouring state also does not have right to utilise its any surplus water coming from upper riparian state (Karnataka)," said an official.

Out of 740 tmc feet estimated by Supreme Court in entire Cauvery basin, 483 tmc feet is generated up to the Karnataka - Tamil Nadu border at Biligundlu. There could be another 45 tmc of surplus above 483 tmc in the Karnataka side of Cauvery basin, sources said.

When Karnataka proposed to build a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu to utilise surplus water to provide drinking water to Ramnagar and Kanakapura towns, Tamil Nadu filed a petition in Supreme Court opposing the project.