CWMA Orders Karnataka to Release 4,000 Cusecs Daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 Days
The Cauvery Water Management Authority has directed Karnataka to release 4,000 cusecs of water a day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from September 24, rejecting its plea for a reduced flow.
Karnataka's request for relief in the Cauvery water dispute was turned down on Thursday, with the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) upholding the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) direction that the state release water to Tamil Nadu at 4,000 cusecs a day for 15 days.
The releases, scheduled to begin on September 24, will total 5.18 tmcft.
Karnataka pleads storage constraints
Appearing before the CWMA, Karnataka argued that it was in no position to make any further releases without compromising its own priority needs, including drinking water and other essential requirements.
The state submitted that storage in its four Cauvery basin reservoirs was low and that inflows had dwindled to about 2,200 cusecs a day because of a deficient South-West Monsoon driven by Super El Nino conditions. It warned that even these inflows were on the verge of stopping altogether as the monsoon season drew to a close.
Karnataka said 71% of taluks in the Cauvery basin had been declared drought-affected, with 75% of the basin's geographical area reeling under drought.
Contrasting rainfall positions
Karnataka also pointed to a news report indicating that an expert committee set up by the Tamil Nadu government to assess the impact of Super El Nino had suggested the neighbouring state could receive excess rainfall and face floods during the North-East Monsoon.
The state further submitted that it had already released 2.219 tmcft more than the CWMA had ordered for the period from June 29 to September 23. On that basis, it appealed for the mandated flow to be scaled down from 4,000 cusecs to 3,000 cusecs a day, citing its critical situation and the principles of justice and equity. The CWMA, however, stood by the higher figure.
Storage and rainfall data
In its submissions to the CWRC earlier, Karnataka said the cumulative live storage in its four Cauvery basin reservoirs stood at 49.775 tmcft, or just 47.60% of full capacity. It assessed its own requirements at 29 tmcft for drinking water, 10 tmcft for environmental flows and 23.40 tmcft for Kharif irrigation.
By contrast, Karnataka contended, Tamil Nadu held 52.177 tmcft in storage and, with the North-East Monsoon expected, was comfortably placed without needing releases from Karnataka.
On rainfall, Karnataka said it had received 406.5 mm during the South-West Monsoon from June 1 to September 22, which is 63.18% of the normal 643.40 mm. Tamil Nadu, it noted, had recorded 230.9 mm, or 69.21% of its normal 333.64 mm, over the same period.
State to appeal
Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy expressed dissatisfaction with the order and said Karnataka would file an appeal against it. He maintained that implementing the direction was not possible given the state's inadequate storage amid the drought.