OPS demands CM Stalin get due share of Cauvery water from Karnataka to aid Kuruvai crops

CHENNAI: Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam on Monday demanded the Tamil Nadu government to take measure to get stipulated quantity of Cauvery water for the state from Karnataka and urged Chief Minister M K Stalin to hold talks with his counterpart and Congress leader Siddaramaiah to release water for Kuruvai crops as per the Supreme Court direction.

Going by the Supreme Court order, the Karnataka government should release 177.25 (thousand million cubic) of water to Tamil Nadu in a water year, starting from June and ending in May.

In June, the Karnataka government should release 9.19 tmc. However, the upper riparian state is not following the SC order and releasing water from Biligundlu.

Since the water level in Mettur Reservoir is critically low, the authorities did not release water for irrigation for the delta districts. Hitherto, water would be released from Mettur for Kuruvai crops on June 12. This impacted the Kuruvai cultivation in the delta region.

So far, the catchment area of the Cauvery river had received more than normal rainfall.

The Indian Meteorological Department had also predicted that the region would receive normal rainfall during the southeast monsoon, which kicks in June and continues till September, said Panneerselvam in a statement.

The Karnataka government should adhere to the SC order and release Cauvery water as per the schedule.

It would help the Kuruvai cultivation in the delta region in Tamil Nadu.

"The CM should use his influence among the Congress high command and Congress state unit leaders to get TN's share of Cauvery water, " he said.