Cauvery Dispute: CWMA Directs Karnataka To Release 5,000 Cusecs Of Water To TN For Another 15 Days

An emergency meeting was held regarding the issue on Monday in which both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu gave their representations.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah with Deputy CM DK Shivakumar during the all-party meeting to discuss the issue of releasing Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: The Cauvery Water Management Authority on Monday ordered Karnataka to continue releasing 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days.

 

A Jal Shakti Ministry official told PTI that an emergency meeting was held on Monday in which both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu gave their representations when the CWMA gave the directions for the water release.    

 

In the meeting, Karnataka said it could release 3,000 cusecs while Tamil Nadu demanded 12,500 cusecs of water, however, an agreement was reached to release 5,000 cusecs of water for the next 15 days, after which the matter would be reviewed again, Cauvery Water Management Authority said in a statement.

Karnataka has to ensure 5,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu for the next 15 days as indicated by CWRC (effective from 13th Sep 2023 for 15 days): CWMA( Cauvery Water Management Authority) pic.twitter.com/d4vsZJPW9D

— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2023

Taking note of the severity of drought in the Cauvery Basin in Karnataka, which has been increasing and putting at greater risk even drinking water needs and minimum needs of irrigation, the state made submissions that it is not in a position to release water unless the inflows into reservoirs improve, CWMA stated.

 

Speaking on the Cauvery issue, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan said, "Cauvery Water Management Authority will not just close its eyes and order to release water. They will review how many dams and how much water is there and then take a decision...Karnataka never accepts the decision to release Cauvery water," reported ANI.

 

The development comes as Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday had expressed his inability to share water with Tamil Nadu citing insufficient water in Cauvery basin dams.

 

"We do not have water to release. An appeal petition is being filed with the Supreme Court and the court has questioned the state on non-compliance of orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA)," he had stated on Sunday.

 

"If at all we want to release the water, our requirement is 106 tmc. We have only 53 tmc of water availability. For drinking water purposes 30 tmc is required, to save standing crops 70 tmc and for industries 3 tmc water is needed. There is no water with us to release," CM Siddaramaiah underlined.