Bengaluru: The State government yesterday defended the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and said that a small quantity was being released from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam to comply with the Supreme Court’s order.

Minister for Water Resources M.B. Patil said that to ensure victory in the legal battle in the Supreme Court, some water was being released to Tamil Nadu. The inflow of water to four reservoirs — Harangi, Kabini, Hemavathi and KRS — stood at 12,700 cusecs a day and 4,000 cusecs of water was being released daily to Tamil Nadu, he said.

As per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) order, Karnataka has to release 134 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu from June to September. Storage of water in four reservoirs should be 34 tmcft in June. However, owing to poor rainfall, the storage level stood at 11 tmcft. Only after adequate storage of water in dams, water would be released for agricultural activities in the basin areas, Patil said.

“Water can be released only if it rains in the catchment areas. We are releasing water based on the availability in the reservoirs. The inflow of water to the reservoirs has decreased due to deficient monsoon. But it is binding on the State to release water to Tamil Nadu. Hence, water is being released. The State will definitely release more water if it rains in coming days,” he said.

“We have the responsibility to protect the interest of farmers in the basin region. Priority is given for supplying drinking water to Bengaluru and other towns. Water will be supplied for agriculture purposes if the reservoirs become full, the Minister added.

On Mekedatu, he said the State had already submitted its detailed project report to the Central Water Commission. Steps are being taken to seek clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest for the project. The work will be taken up once all approvals are obtained, he added.

The Tamil Nadu government has raised objection to the project and it recently urged the Centre not to allow Karnataka to implement the project.

CM CONTRADICTS

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah said that there was no water in the reservoirs across the Cauvery basin and it was not possible to release water at this juncture. The CM contradicted his cabinet colleague and Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil who said that the State was releasing 4,000 cusecs of water every day to Tamil Nadu.

“There is no water at our reservoirs. In such a situation, how can we release water,” he said. “In spite of the distress situation in Cauvery basin, we have released ‘substantial’ quantum of water to TN as per Apex Court’s earlier directions,” he added.