Tamil Nadu delegation meets Union Minister Shekhawat on Cauvery water row

An all-party delegation of MPs from Tamil Nadu on Tuesday met Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi and asked him to direct the Karnataka Government to release Cauvery water due for the state. 

The delegation consisting of members from DMK, AIADMK, and Congress among others led by Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan also accused Karnataka of not following the pro-rata basis formula devised by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) during the deficit period. 

The meeting comes two days after Chief Minister M K Stalin said Karnataka should release water from River Cauvery as per the 2018 Supreme Court verdict, while rejecting allegations levelled by the neighbouring state that it has increased the ayacut area. 

“Karnataka dams have water, but the state is refusing to release it as per the directions of the Cauvery Water Management Board. The total storage in Karnataka dams in 54 tmcft of water. But they have constructed check dams to impound water in the KRS dam," the minister said. 

He also accused Karnataka of releasing only 4,00 cusecs of water today. “We are only asking for our share of water," Murugan said. 

Tamil Nadu says it should have received 103.5 tmcft of water from Karnataka till September 14, but the state received just 38.4 tmcft of water, leading to a shortfall of 65.1 tmcft.

The state government decided to open the sluices of the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur on June 12 as scheduled keeping in mind the storage (69.25 tmcft), the normal monsoon forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), and the monthly water release schedule, Stalin had said on Saturday. 

“Concerned for the rightful share of Cauvery water for Tamil Nadu, a delegation of Tamil Nadu MPs from all parties led Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan will meet Union Minister of Jal Shakti and submit a memorandum requesting him to direct Karnataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said. 

Tamil Nadu has ruled out talks with Karnataka over the sharing of Cauvery water, contending that it was after the failure of several dialogue, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted, and the Supreme Court accepted its award with slight modifications. 

While Tamil Nadu wants the monthly schedule to be adhered to without fail, Karnataka says it can release water only after catering to the needs of its people and farmers.