NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to constitute a bench for hearing the Tamil Nadu government’s plea to direct Karnataka to release forthwith 24,000 cusecs of water from its reservoirs to save the standing paddy crops.
After senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the issue, a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud agreed to constitute the bench. “I’ll constitute a bench today (Monday),” the CJI said.
The details about the proposed bench are awaited.
Tamil Nadu in its plea said the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had on August 11, 2023, reduced the water to be released by Karnataka for 15 days (from August 11) from KRS and Kabini reservoirs to be realised at Billigundulu on the interstate border to 10,000 cusecs (0.864 tmcft per day) from 15,000 cusecs. “But even this has not been complied with by the Karnataka government,” Tamil Nadu said.
The Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) had on August 10 asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs per day for 15 days. “The actual flow recorded at Billigundulu on August 11, 12, 13, and 14 was 6,148 cusecs, 4,852, 4,453 and 4,000 cusecs, respectively,” Tamil Nadu told the top court. Karnataka is duty-bound to release 177.25 tmcft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as per the 2018 order of the Supreme Court, the state said in its plea.
“About 14.91 lakh acres (net sown area) are dependent on Mettur reservoir, which in turn is dependent on the quantum of water realised at Billigundulu based on water released by Karnataka from KRS and Kabini reservoirs. During the southwest monsoon season, both kuruvai and samba crops are sown and transplanted in the Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu.
Hence, release of water from Mettur during the season is crucial for TN. About four million farmers and 10 million labourers are directly and indirectly dependent on Mettur water for their livelihood in TN. Agricultural operation in the delta region is suffering for want of adequate water and the crops are facing water stress. This would affect the state’s agricultural production,” TN said in its plea.
The DMK government has also prayed for directing Karnataka to ensure release of water to Tamil Nadu for the month of September, make good the shortfall of 28.849 tmcft for the current irrigation year, and direct CWMA to ensure that Karnataka ensures stipulated monthly release during the remaining period of the current water year (June to May).
Water share formula
According to 2018 SC verdict, Karnataka must provide 177.25 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu to be realised at Billigundlu between June and May Of this, 123.14 tmcft must be released between June and September during the southwest monsoon season
