Cauvery water from Karnataka reaches Tamil Nadu

Dharmapuri: Cauvery water released by Karnataka from two of its major reservoirs — Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini — reached Biligundulu, the entry point of Hogenakkal in Tamil Nadu on Thursday morning.

The water subsequently reached the Mettur dam, from where it will be released to farmers in the Cauvery Delta region for cultivation of crops.

As the water reached the entry point in Tamil Nadu, officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) and Central Water Commission (CWC) inspected the reservoir and are monitoring the inflow of water from Karnataka.     

After the release of water, the inflow into Cauvery in Hogenakkal has increased from 3,500 cusecs to 7,000 cusecs. PWD sources said that inflow into Cauvery as measured on Thursday morning at 9 am was 3,500 cusec, which later stood at 3500 cusec with the increase of 500 cusecs at noon.

The water level stood at 7,000 cusec in the evening due to continuous inflow. As the water flowed into the state, people welcomed it by offering special poojas.

On Tuesday, the Karnataka state released 11,000 cusec from KRS dam and another 5,000 cusec from the Kabini reservoir. The release was made as per the Supreme Court’s order to release 15,000 cusec daily for 10 days to save delta farmers in Tamil Nadu.

 According to the sources, Karnataka released 16,000 cusec, one thousand more when compared to the 15,000 cusec as ordered by the Supreme Court. The release above 15,000 cusec was made, as there are chances for wastages before reaching Biligundulu in the 100-kilometers journey starting from the KRS dam from where the release was made.

Meanwhile, the vehicular traffic between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka continued to be affected for the fourth straight day. More than 350 buses owned by the Tamil Nadu’s state transport corporation kept off the road as the district police stopped the private vehicles with Tamil Nadu registration from entering into Karnataka as a pre-cautionary step.

Tamil Nadu moves Cauvery supervisory panel

Tamil Nadu government has moved the Cauvery Supervisory Committee asking it to ensure that Karnataka releases 64.7 tmcft of water due to TN as on September 5, informed sources here said.

They said TN mailed a 13-page report to the CSC late Wednesday night explaining its stand. The state wanted the Committee to ensure that the Karnataka government comply with the orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal which gave its award in 2007.

The sources also said the Tamil Nadu Government has told the CSC that as on September 5, the Karnataka Government had to release 64.7 tmcft of water to the state for cultivation of samba crops. The state government is also understood to have the intervention of the CSC in ensuring that the Karnataka Government complies with the Supreme Court order of releasing 15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily for 10 days.

The move comes after the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Cauvery Supervisory Committee to examine the matter in four days and pass appropriate directions.

The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal had in a unanimous decision in 2007 allotted 419 tmcft to Tamil Nadu in the entire Cauvery basin, 270 tmcft to Karnataka, 30 tmcft to Kerala and 7 tmcft to Puducherry. Meanwhile, the Cauvery Supervisory Committee will meet on Monday to hear the pleas of the states.