Cauvery Row: Centre Asks Karnataka To Release 5K Cusecs Daily For 15 Days, State To Move SC Against Order

Tamil Nadu wanted 12,500 cusecs of Cauvery water, while Karnataka stated it could provide 3,000 cusecs.

The Cauvery Water Management Authority ordered Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water for the next 15 days to Tamil Nadu. On Monday, a Jal Shakti Ministry official told PTI that an emergency meeting was held in New Delhi on Monday in which Karnataka and Tamil Nadu made their representations. Based on the hearing, the CWMA ordered for extension of the release of water. 

Following this, Karnataka said that they would challenge the CWMA's direction in the Apex Court while Tamil Nadu said that though the quantum of water will be insufficient it will be helpful to some extent till the onset of the northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu.

According to PTI, Tamil Nadu wanted 12,500 cusecs, while Karnataka stated it could provide 3,000 cusecs. A deal was reached to release 5,000 cusecs for the next 15 days, after which the situation will be reviewed once more.

Karnataka To Challenge Order In SC: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said that the only decision before the state government was to move the Supreme Court and to present the issue with the facts. 

"We will also appeal to the Centre and continue our legal fight," he said. 

Further, Shivakumar said that they are discussing the matter with their legal team. He said, as per PTI, "What if the Supreme Court dismisses our plea if we go before it without following the order of the lower court (CWMA). (In that case), we will lose that option."

On Cauvery water sharing, former Karnataka CM and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai said, "First of all the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order is unscientific and not based on the ground realities. This has to be challenged. We can't just agree with whatever CWMA says. The next option is to go to the Supreme Court... Somehow we feel that we don't have a government that can put forth the ground situation, the truth aggressively. And because of that these kinds of decisions are being slapped on Karnataka time and again..."

CWMA Won't Blindly Order To Release Water: TN Minister

On the authority's order, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department Minister said that CWMA will not "blindly" issue such orders. 

He said that a delegation of state MPs led by him will meet Union Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the national capital on Tuesday on the inter-state river dispute.