CWMA upholds CWRC order on sharing Cauvery River water with neighbouring State; Karnataka suffers a jolt again

New Delhi: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) yesterday upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) recent order to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.

Following the CWRC order to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka had filed an appeal at CWMA. The CWMA, which met under the Chairmanship of S.K. Haldar, heard the arguments of Additional Chief Secretary of Water Resources Department from Karnataka Gaurav Gupta, who explained the present scenario at the reservoirs with inadequate storage of water while the officials  from TN took part in the meeting through video conference.

Gupta explained that, there is a cumulative storage of 44 tmcft of water in the dams in Cauvery basin while Mettur dam and Bhavani Sagar dam in TN have 41 tmcft of water. The available water storage in Karnataka, is however still insufficient to meet drinking water requirements while there is an actual requirement of 3.25 tmcft of water per month. Hence, the water is being used only for drinking purpose, without releasing the same for irrigation purpose.

The depletion in monsoon this year is the worst ever in the last one decade, especially in Cauvery basin.  During the corresponding period of previous year, following a good spell of rain, Karnataka had released over 336 tmcft water.

Comparatively, it is the worst ever rainy season in the history of 150 years. If the situation improves and the State receives adequate rain, there wouldn’t be any hurdle in releasing water to TN, argued Gupta.