TN govt insists CWMA direct Karnataka to comply with SC Order

CHENNAI: The State Water Resources Department (WRD) on Tuesday insisted the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) direct the Karnataka government to release 2.5 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water a month until the end of May, by the Supreme Court’s direction, to meet the environmental flow requirements in the downstream Cauvery from Mettur.

Additional Chief Secretary of WRD Mangat Ram Sharma representing the TN government, attended the virtual meeting chaired by CWMA Chairperson S K Haldar. Authorities from Karnataka and stakeholders from other southern states have also participated in the meeting. Sharma reiterated the state’s demand for Karnataka to honour the Supreme Court’s order and release 2.5 TMC of Cauvery water for a month until the end of May.

According to the Supreme Court’s ruling, Karnataka is required to release 2.5 TMC of water each month from February to May.

“They are obligated to release 1,000 cusecs of water daily during this period to meet our requirements and comply with the SC order,” said a senior official. However, the upper riparian state has been releasing less than the stipulated quantity of water. In the last couple of weeks, the inflow recorded in Stanley Reservoir in Mettur is ranging between 500 and 170 tmc, while it discharges 1000 cusecs on the riverbed for environmental and drinking water purposes.

The Karnataka authorities also pointed to surplus water in the KRS, Kabini, and two other reservoirs, which was discharged downstream during the rainy season. However, Tamil Nadu officials rejected these claims, making it clear that the discharge of surplus water during the rainy season would not be considered. They reiterated that the Karnataka authorities must comply with the 2018 SC order.

“The Chairperson of CWMA stated that he would issue an order after reviewing the views and contentions presented by both sides,” said an official privy to the meeting.