Panel to suggest July quota of Cauvery water for TN

While directing Karnataka to follow the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal order modified by the Supreme Court on releasing water to Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Monday asked Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to recommend the quantum of water to be released by Karnataka to Tamil Nadu in July.

The CWMA in its first meeting held here directed the CWRC to recommend how much water can be released in July from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu after studying the storage in all reservoirs, inflow and outflow, progress of monsoon and requirement of water for crops in the Cauvery basin states for on going Kharif reason.

The CWRC headed by Navin Kumar, chief Engineer, Central Water Commission, will meet on July 5 in New Delhi.

Emerging out of the meeting, CWMA chairman S Masood Hussian told reporters that the CWRC will make a recommendation to the Authority on how much water has to be released from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu in July. Based on the Committee’s suggestion, the Authority will direct Karnataka, the quantum of water to be released to Tamil Nadu.

Stating that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere, Hussain said “the Authority directed Karnataka to ensure balance quantity (of water) for July, delinquently adjusting the excess quantity of water realised to Tamil Nadu in June, subject to the assessment and recommendations by the regulation committee.”

However, he refused to answer when asked the how much Karnataka has to release to Tamil Nadu in July. He said it is difficult to state the quantum of water to be released.

“The quantum of water which had been there in the Tribunal award after adjusting whatever had been the surplus in the month of June, would be released by Karnataka,” Hussain told reporters.

As per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal order, Karnataka was supposed
to release 34 tmcft of water in July. However, the Supreme Court modifed the Tribunal order and said Karnataka should supply 177.25 tmcft of water instead of 192 tmcft, a reduction of 14.75 tmcft.
According to the modified order, Karnataka was supposed to release 31.7 tmcft of water in July, said the sources in the Central Water Commission.

Rakesh Singh, Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, Karnataka, who is representing the state in the Authority said that in June, Karnataka had released 11.5 tmcft of water against stipulated 8.75 tmcft.

The Authority should consider the 3.59 tmcft of extra water that flowed to Tamil Nadu in June, before directing Karnataka to release the July quota of water to Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka also said that till June 30, the total storage in all Cauvery basin reservoirs in the state was 76.047 tmcft.