The Tamil Nadu government on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to Karnataka to release 26.954 tmcft of Cauvery water, contending that the neighbouring state has failed to comply with the directions issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).
According to the petition, the CWRC, at its 139th meeting held on July 28, reviewed the hydrological and meteorological conditions in the Cauvery basin and directed Karnataka to ensure a flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu for 15 days, from July 29 to August 12.
The committee instructed Karnataka to regulate releases from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs to maintain the stipulated flow.
The CWMA, during its 54th emergency meeting held on July 30, examined the basin conditions and endorsed the CWRC’s recommendation.
However, Tamil Nadu alleged that the quantity of water received at Biligundlu after the order was far below its rightful share. The state submitted that as of August 3, Karnataka’s four major Cauvery basin reservoirs together held 77.537 tmcft of water. The KRS reservoir had a storage of 23.078 tmcft, Kabini 18.610 tmcft, Harangi 7.827 tmcft, and Hemavathi 28.022 tmcft, with a total utilisable storage of 67.517 tmcft.
Tamil Nadu argued that with such storage levels, Karnataka would have no difficulty in releasing the state’s proportionate share of water. It further noted that heavy rainfall had been recorded in the catchment areas of the KRS and Kabini reservoirs, significantly improving inflows.
The government maintained that, based on the prevailing hydrological conditions and the prescribed sharing formula, Tamil Nadu should receive 26.954 tmcft of water at Biligundlu. By contrast, the release directed by the CWMA 3,500 cusecs for 15 days would amount to only about 4.536 tmcft, which the state described as grossly inadequate.
In its petition, Tamil Nadu urged the Supreme Court to issue appropriate directions to Karnataka to immediately release the due quantity of 26.954 tmcft of Cauvery water and ensure compliance with the orders of the CWMA and the CWRC.
