Tamil Nadu seeks immediate release of Cauvery water from Karmatala

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu on Tuesday demanded release of the entire quantity of 9.19 TMC feet of water for June and 31.24 TMC feet of water for July from Karnataka.

The demand was made by Tamil Nadu at a meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) here when the state sought the Authority's directions to Karnataka in this regard.

Tamil Nadu also demanded that Karnataka should thereafter release water for the remaining months as per the pattern of releases prescribed by the Cauvery River Tribunal and modified by the judgement of the Supreme Court for the irrigation season/water year 2019-20.

The state said that it could not open Mettur Dam on the scheduled date of June 12 this year too for Cauvery Delta Irrigation due to non-release of water by Karnataka and poor storage in Mettur Dam.

It maintained that Cauvery Water Management Authority, in its third meeting, had resolved that Karnataka should release the prescribed quantity for the month of June--9.19 TMC feet of water--to Tamil Nadu.

"Karnataka has not honoured the decision of the Authority and so directions may be issued to Karnataka to make good the shortfall and release the entire quantity of 9.19 TMC feet of water before June 30, 2019, in accordance with the decision of the Authority," contended Tamil Nadu.

A release from the Tamil Nadu government said that since state strongly objected to the inclusion of the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project for discussion in the third meeting, CWMA decided to defer the issue for discussion.

As the issue has been included for discussion in the fourth meeting also, the Tamil Nadu government reiterated its objections and pointed out that the proposed Mekedatu Project of Karnataka was in violation of the Tribunal's Final Order and the judgement of the Supreme Court.

"Therefore, it is not appropriate to discuss this issue in this meeting and also in future meetings of the Authority," it said.

Tamil Nadu reiterated its stand that no construction of any dam, reservoir and/or diversion structures in any place in the Cauvery Basin by Karnataka in violation of the judgement of the Supreme Court and without the consent of Tamil Nadu and other co-basin states should be allowed by the authority," it said.

Tamil Nadu also sought the immediate appointment of Engineers of suitable rank from Central Water Commission to monitor the release of water as per the decision of the Authority in the designated reservoirs forming part of the Tribunal's First order.

the state also insisted that since the headquarters of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee has been fixed as Bengaluru, the meetings should only be held in Bengaluru hereafter.