SC asks Karnataka to release Cauvery water to TN for 15 days

The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the order of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the CWRC directing the Karnataka government to release 5,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) in its September 12 order, which was upheld by CWMA, directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs (cubic foot per second) of water every day for the next 15 days to Tamil Nadu. A bench of Justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha and Prashant Kumar Mishra on Thursday said it was not inclined to entertain Tamil Nadu's plea challenging the CWMA decision on the ground that it was facing a drought-like situation due to rain deficit.
The bench noted that bodies like CWMA and CWRC, which have experts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and those on agriculture and water resource management, have considered all relevant aspects like drought, deficit rainfall, water level in the river and only then passed the order. "We are therefore of the considered view that the factors which have been taken into consideration by both the authorities cannot be said to be irrelevant or extraneous. In that view, we are not inclined to interfere with the orders," the bench said. It noted the two authorities are meeting every 15 days to take stock of the distress faced by both the states.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Tamil Nadu, submitted that the two authorities, despite having acknowledged there was deficient rainfall since August and the state was eligible for of 7,200 cusecs of water, reduced the volume to 5,000 cusecs a day. "I am a low riparian state...water flows from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu from where it goes to Puducherry. There is a shortfall of rainfall which has been taken into consideration by the authorities. In a regular year, I would have been eligible for three times more but I am not seeking that. I am seeking what is rightfully mine," Rohatgi said. He added Tamil Nadu has five lakh acres of standing crop and is facing a drinking water problem for which more water is needed.
Meanwhile, chief minister Siddaramaiah held discussions with the MPs and Union Ministers from Karnataka in Delhi on Wednesday. Following the meeting, Siddaramaiah said that the distribution of Cauvery water has become difficult for the state as the distress formula is not ready.  Siddaramaiah said, the state requires 33 TMC for drinking water, 70 TMC for crop protection, three TMC for industries, and a total of 106 TMC.However, only 53 TMC of water is currently available, making it challenging to spare water for Tamil Nadu as per the Supreme Court’s order. CM stressed the need for the Mekedatu scheme to use and store water in the state and generate electricity. He also mentioned that the state has written to the Union Jalshakti Minister, seeking a meeting to discuss the situation comprehensively and explore potential solutions. Siddaramaiah urged unity among MPs and RajyaSabha members to present the state’s demands to Union Ministers in Delhi, stressing that politics should not hinder protecting the state’s interests.

(Dr Mysi Patil, State Correspondent)