Release water to TN if rains are normal: CWMA to K'taka

The Cauvery Water Management Authority on Tuesday said if the Cauvery basin received normal monsoon and reservoirs received normal inflow, Karnataka should release water to Tamil Nadu as per the prescribed quantum for June and July.

In the CWMA meeting held here under the chairmanship of S Masood Husain, who is also chairman of the Central Water Commission, it was noted that rainfall in the Cauvery basin area in Karnataka was deficient in June so far.

Emerging out of the more than two-hour meeting, which was attended by representatives of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala, Husain said as per the monthly quantum, Karnataka has to ensure 9.91 tmc feet of water in June and 31.24 tmc feet of water in July at Biligundlu, interstate water measurement centre.

“The authority in its meeting reviewed the hydro-meteorological situation in the Cauvery basin during the current water year ( 2019-20) and it was noted as per Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the rainfall was deficient during the period from June 1st to 20 in the catchment areas of Krishnarajasagara and Kabini,” he said.

“It was also noted that during the period, the 4 reservoirs of Karnataka received cumulative inflows of 1.1771 tmc up to 24th June and cumulative inflow observed at Biligundlu site of Central Water Commission (CWC) as of 23 of June was 1.888 tmc, he said.

“The matter was deliberated upon in detail and the Authority resolved that the State of Karnataka should release water for the month of June and July as per the monthly schedule mentioned n the final order of the Tribunal and modified by the Supreme Court subject to the inflows being normal,” he said.

The authority also decided that in respect of the quantum of water to be released to Puducherry, the existing arrangements between Puducherry and Tamil Nadu would be followed.

In the meeting, Tamil Nadu complained that they have not received the prescribed quantum of water from Karnataka while the latter said there is no storage in its reservoirs due to the shortfall of monsoon.