Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin has urged the Centre to ensure that Karnataka releases Tamilnadu’s share of Cauvery water as per the monthly schedule stipulated by the Supreme Court.
In a letter to to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat, a copy of which was released to the media here, the Chief Minister said, “As per the judgment, we are to receive 9.19tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water in June and 31.24tmcft in July. I request you to take necessary steps, to advise the Cauvery Water Management Authority to ensure the realisation of water as per the monthly schedule.”
“Since delta areas in Tamil Nadu do not benefit from the Southwest monsoon, the Kuruvai crop would be totally dependent on the continuous release of water from Mettur reservoir. Hence, any shortfall in the release of water as per the schedule will severely impact the standing crop as well as commencing and continuing the Samba cultivation, from next month,” the Chief Minister said in his letter.
Stalin said the quantum of water received at the common border, Billigundulu gauging site of the Central Water Commission, has to be realised as per the monthly schedule fixed by the SC, for ensuring continuous release of water to sustain lakhs of acres of Kuruvai paddy crop.
Ahead of the opening of the Mettur reservoir for irrigation, Stalin on Friday inspected Kallanai and the desilting works being taken up in Thanjavur and Tiruchi districts.
After arriving in Tiruchi, Stalin drove to Kallanai, where he inspected and reviewed works taken up under the Extension, Renovation and Modernisation of Irrigation Infrastructure Programme.