Mandya MP Sumalatha counters Dayanidhi Maran’s allegations

New Delhi: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) yesterday directed Karnataka to release 9.19 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water to Tamil Nadu, which is suffering one of its worst dry spells and acute shortages of drinking water. 

This was CWMA’s fourth meeting since its formation in June last year and was held at New Delhi. During the meeting, the Tamil Nadu representatives highlighted the necessity of releasing 9.19 tmcft of water to the lower riparian States from Karnataka. 

S.K. Prabhakar, Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, who is Tamil Nadu’s representative for CWMA cited the upcoming Kuruvai cultivation period and the depleting water resources in the State. After hearing Tamil Nadu’s contention, CWMA Chairman Masood Hussain ordered Karnataka to release 9.19 tmcft of water. “The Cauvery Water Management Authority has decided to release 9.19 tmcft of water by Karnataka from the Biligundlu site for June and July this year to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry UT,” the Chairman said in his order. The authority in its meeting reviewed the hydro-meteorological situation in the Cauvery Basin during the current water year (2019-20) and it was noted that as per IMD (India Meteorological Department), the rainfall was deficient from June 1 to June 20, 2019 in the catchments of Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini,” the authority observed.

The CWMA said that the matter was discussed in detail and the authorities resolved that Karnataka should release water for the months of June and July. Reacting on the CWMA order, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said that water will only be released if there is sufficient water in the dams along the Cauvery Basin. “Farmers need not worry as their interests will be safeguarded,” he said. 

Sumalatha speaks for State

Meanwhile, Independent MP from Mandya, Sumalatha Ambarish countered the allegation by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Dayanidhi Maran in the Lok Sabha that Karnataka had been persistently violating the orders of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal and the Supreme Court on releasing water to Tamil Nadu. 

Maran called Karnataka a “habitual offender” and slammed it for not releasing adequate water to Tamil Nadu. He went on to say: “Karnataka is always in contempt of Court (by not releasing adequate water to TN).

Countering Maran, Sumalatha dismissed his allegation and said that Karnataka had always adhered to the orders of the Court although the State had never got justice on the issue of sharing water with Tamil Nadu. “I do not think that Karnataka has ever been in contempt of the Court orders and has always obeyed the Court orders. We have been peace loving and stood in cooperation with our neighbours always,” she said.