Chennai: Representatives from Tamilnadu today urged the Cauvery Water Management Authority to direct Karanataka government to release 9.2 TMC water for the month of June.
The State government said since irrigation for Kuruvai crops will begin 1 June, farmers in the Delta region are eagerly waiting for the release of the water.
It also urged that Tamilnadu’s due share of Cauvery water should be released in the coming months following the Supreme court’s verdict.
Apart from the 9.2 TMC of water, the representatives also asked to release 2 TMC of water due for the period between February and May.
“To protect environment 2.5 TMC water should have been released from Cauvery from February till May. However, the due share has not been received and the Karnataka government should be ordered to release the deficit of 2 TMC water within May,” they said.
Earlier during the meeting in New Delhi today, representatives from the State strongly condemned the Mekedattu issue being notified as a point of discussion by the Karnataka government.
They said inclusion of the topic is in violation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final verdict and SC’s verdict on 16 February 2018. They further stressed that this topic should be taken back and should be ensured that it is not discussed in the future meetings as well.
It may be noted that Cauvery Water Regulation Committee met 22 May in New Delhi. The water dispute saw decades of negotiations between the parties. The Government of India then constituted Cauvery Water Disputes tribunal in 1990 to look into the matter. After hearing arguments of all the stakeholders, the tribunal delivered its final verdict 5 February 2007. It allocated 419 tmc ft of water annually to Tamilnadu and 270 tmc ft to Karnataka; 30 tmc ft to Kerala and 7 tmc ft to Puducherry.
Karnataka and Tamilnadu being the major stakeholders, Karnataka was ordered to release 192 tmc ft of water to Tamilnadu in a normal year from June to May.
With two monsoons failing in most parts of Tamilnadu, there is an urgent need for Cauvery water in the State. But, Karnataka also claims that it is in in the grip of severe drought. So, today’s meeting is crucial for both States.