Tamil Nadu CM Stalin wrote to Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat urging to release of the Cauvery water due to the risks faced by Kuruvai crop in Tamil Nadu. The Kuruvai is a crucial crop season for the farmers of Cauvery delta. In the letter, Stalin said, “I would like to bring to your urgent attention the risks faced by the current Kuruvai crop in Tamil Nadu, due to Karnataka not releasing our due share of Cauvery waters and request your immediate intervention to save it.”
“Though the onset of South West monsoon was delayed, it has picked up pace in July. However, Kamataka has not released any water to us from the two scheduled reservoirs. As a result, the storage in Mettur reservoir is dwindling fast and the current storage can sustain irrigation only for about 20 days,” he said.
The CM said that since South West monsoon rainfall in Tamil Nadu was less the Kuruval crop depends only on flows from Mettur reservoir, which in turn depends on releases from Karnataka.
Stalin urged Shekhawat for his personal and immediate intervention on this issue and requested to direct the CWMA to issue directions to Kamataka to abide by the monthly schedule prescribed by the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan met Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at his office on Thursday. Taking to Twitter, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “Today, met Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Water Resources Shri Durai Murugan at my camp office in New Delhi. Various water-related issues of the state were discussed.”