Release June share of Cauvery water immediately: TN to Karnataka

Karnataka’s decision to build a dam in Mekedatu has been a source of friction for two states.

Tamil Nadu on Tuesday said it will knock at the doors of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) seeking a direction to Karnataka to release the remaining quantum of water to the state from June month share immediately for irrigation purposes.

Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan left Chennai for New Delhi Tuesday evening to meet CWMA authorities regarding non-release of water by Karnataka. He told reporters that Karnataka released only 2.83 tmcft water from the stipulated June share of 9.11 tmcft as per the 2018 final verdict of the Supreme Court.

“Karnataka has to comply with the orders of the Supreme Court. The monthly water release schedule should be followed and there should not be any delay. We are asking the CWMA to tell Karnataka to release the pending amount of water from June share and stick to the SC-fixed quantum for July as well,” Durai Murugan said.

He said the water was necessary for farmers in the Cauvery Delta region of Tamil Nadu for kuruvai (short-term crop) cultivation which has been taken up in an area of about 4 lakh acres. The cultivation is being done with water released from the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur, the lifeline of the farmers in the region.

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Officials said Karnataka is supposed to release 31.24 tmcft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in July, 45.95 tmcft in August, and 36.76 tmcft in September. For the past few years, the issue of deficit wasn’t raised primarily because of release of surplus water from dams in Karnataka due to incessant rains.

However, officials said, the deficit for the month of June alone is nearly 7 tmcft. To a question on Karnataka’s contention that it couldn’t stick to the schedule due to erratic monsoon, Durai Murugan replied: “They give their reasons, and we will give our reasons before the CWMA. We will fight for our share of water,” he added.

On Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar’s contention that the state will go ahead with construction of a reservoir in Mekedatu, the minister said the neighbouring state doesn’t have the rights to build a dam without the concurrence of the lower riparian state, Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka’s decision to build a dam in Mekedatu ostensibly to meet growing drinking water needs of Bengaluru before the Cauvery water enters Tamil Nadu has been a source of friction between the two states.

While Karnataka says it is well within its rights to construct the dam, Tamil Nadu opposes the same saying the project cannot be implemented without the concurrence of the lower riparian state.