The Cauvery Water Regulation Authority has directed Karnataka to ensure a daily release of 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days, beginning at 8 am on Friday, according to a report by Prajavani. The order requires Karnataka to release a total of 3.88 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) during the period.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by authority chairman S.K. Haldar on Thursday. The authority upheld the recommendation of the Cauvery Water Management Committee, while declining Tamil Nadu’s demand for a larger release based on what it described as the outstanding water balance and the needs of its Samba crop.
Tamil Nadu told the meeting that Karnataka should release 15.02 TMC of previously due water and ensure a total flow of 20.01 TMC, equivalent to about 15,050 cusecs a day, at Biligundulu until October 23. The authority did not accept that demand.
Tamil Nadu also submitted that the Mettur reservoir held 32.01 TMC, while inflows stood at 952 cusecs. It said water release for irrigation had been delayed by 81 days and that the Samba crop was facing stress. According to the submission cited in the report, Karnataka was required to have released 127.70 TMC so far but had released 46.04 TMC.
Tamil Nadu further alleged that Karnataka had not fully complied with earlier directions issued by the authority. It said Karnataka had released 3.898 TMC against a previous requirement of 4.83 TMC.
Karnataka officials argued that the state’s water availability remained constrained. The four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin had received 117.14 TMC between June and the date of the meeting, they said, representing a 54% shortfall compared with previous years. With the southwest monsoon having ended, the possibility of significant replenishment was described as very low.
Karnataka also argued that Tamil Nadu’s water position should be assessed using more than the storage in its three reservoirs. Tamil Nadu’s reservoirs held 37.99 TMC, the officials said, while inflows from the intermediate basin, contributions from the lower reaches and groundwater availability could take the state’s total water resources to 244.99 TMC.
The Karnataka officials added that the northeast monsoon was expected to be normal and could benefit Tamil Nadu. They maintained that Tamil Nadu had sufficient stored water to meet the requirements of its Samba crop.
The direction places the immediate focus on the operation of Karnataka’s reservoirs and the measurement of flows at Biligundulu, the interstate accounting point. It also keeps the dispute centred on how available water, past shortfalls and crop requirements should be balanced during a season of below-normal inflows.
Karnataka is required to begin the 3,000-cusec release from 8 am on Friday and continue it for 15 days under the authority’s direction.
