CWRC’s 2,600 cusecs to TN upheld by CWMA
Disappointed, TN rights not protected: Duraimurugan
Cauvery Water Management Authority (CMWA)
CHENNAI: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CMWA) on Friday upheld the decision of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and directed the Karnataka government to release 2,600 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu till November 23.
However, Karnataka has been releasing only 300 cusecs (on Friday) as against the 2,600 cusecs as per the recommendation of the committee.
TN Public Works department officials said that the Karnataka government complied neither with the recommendation of the CWRC nor the direction of the CWMA. It is flagrantly violating the Supreme Court verdict as well as the statutory board - CWMA - and willfully denying the due share of water to lower riparian state.
On October 30, the CWRC recommended releasing 2,600 cusecs of water daily to TN from November 1 to November 23. However, the Karnataka government categorically told the committee that they were not in a position to release water to the lower riparian state, TN and said that they have water that is sufficient to meet the irrigation and drinking purpose in their state.
The Tamil Nadu PWD officials demanded 16,000 cusecs of water for 15 days. However, the CWMA stuck to the committee’s recommendation issued on Monday.
“Now, the CWMA has directed the Karnataka government to abide by the recommendation of the regulatory committee. But the neighbour is in no mood to follow this,” said a source in PWD and noted that Karnataka released only 300 cusecs on Friday (November 3) from Kabini reservoir.
Since there was rain along the 210 km stretch between Kabini and Billigundulu, Tamil Nadu is receiving an inflow of 2,200 cusecs. “It will reduce drastically by Saturday since rain stopped in the upstream of Biligundlu,” the source said and added that the water storage stood at 19.77 tmc at 4 pm on Friday and 200 cusecs released in the river from Mettur and there was nil discharge in the canal.
It may be recalled that state Water Resource Minister Duraimurugan said that the state would approach the SC, if the CWMA failed to fulfill their demand for 16,000 cusecs of water for 15 days. He also expressed disappointment over the CWMA for failing to protect the rights of TN, a riparian state, in the Cauvery Water issue.