Cauvery Authority asks Karnataka to release 2600 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days

New Delhi: The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has directed the Karnataka government to release 2,600 cusecs of water every day for the next 15 days, that is, November 15, 2023.

In the meeting of the Cauvery Water Control Committee held in the national capital, the Karnataka government made the submission before the CWRC requesting to report to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), that in light of "almost nil" inflows into the four reservoirs so as to reach Biligundlu (on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border) except that would be contributed from the uncontrolled catchment.

The Tamil Nadu government, on the other hand, demanded its Karnataka counterpart to ensure the release of 13,000 cusecs of water every day for the next 15 days.

Meanwhile, Karnataka had been releasing 3,000 of Cauvery water every day for the last 15 days.

Earlier this month, at the CWRC meeting, the Karnataka government was directed to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs of water daily from the Cauvery between October 16 and October 31.

In September this year, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023.

Karnataka filed a review petition against the order both in the Supreme Court and in the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

Karnataka government had cited a severe drought in parts of its state to refuse the supply of water to Tamil Nadu. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on October 5 said that cumulative inflows into the reservoirs in Karnataka's Cauvery basin are decreasing.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday, October 9, 2023, adopted a resolution urging the Union government to direct Karnataka to release Cauvery water as per the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority. The resolution was passed unanimously.

The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been locked in a protracted tussle over the sharing of Cauvery waters. The river is seen as a major source of sustenance for the people in either state.

The Centre formed the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on June 2, 1990, to adjudicate disputes between Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Puducherry with respect to their individual water-sharing capacities. (ANI)