Cauvery issue: Will release 8,000 cusecs water to TN, says K'taka CM Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the Karnataka government was ready to release 8,000 cusecs of water from the Cauvery river every day to neighbouring Tamil Nadu instead of one TMC as directed by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee till this month-end.

There is only 63 per cent water in the Cauvery basin dams and in this situation, the state was not in a position to release one TMC water each day, the Chief Minister told reporters after an all-party meeting here.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka, JD(S) MLA G T Deve Gowda, farmer leaders and legal experts attended the meeting.

"Everyone was of the opinion that we should release 8,000 cusecs of water and not one TMC, which is 11,500 cusecs of water. If there is no rain then we will minimise the release of water and file an appeal before the Cauvery Water Management Authority," Siddaramaiah said.

According to him, the Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority has directed that starting from July 12 till the month-end, every day one TMC water has to be released.

In a normal year, 9.14 TMC in June and 31.24 TMC in July should be released, he explained.

Advocate Mohan Katarki, who was present in the meeting, said this time Krishnarajasagar dam on Cauvery river has only 54 per cent water whereas other dams in the Cauvery basin have only 63 per cent water, Siddaramaiah said.

On July 12, the inflow of water was 5,000 cusec water in Kabini, which was allowed to flow towards Tamil Nadu, the Chief Minister said, adding that 5,000 cusecs water was flowing in Biligundlu on Saturday.

He explained that on July 12, 20,000 cusecs and 19,000 cusecs on July 13 was released for Tamil Nadu from Kabini dam because water cannot be stored for long due to its holding capacity.

Siddarmaaiah said all the parties in Karnataka were unanimous that they should appeal to the CWMA stating that releasing one TMC water was not possible.

"Katarki said we cannot say we cannot release water because it will be disrespectful to the Cauvery Tribunal. We will release 8,000 cusecs. If there is good rain then it is okay to release one TMC. We are expecting good rains this time," he noted.

The Chief Minister said 2023 was a 'distress year' with scanty rainfall.

"In a normal year, we release 177 TMC but last year we released only 81 TMC water," he added.