Cauvery water-sharing issue: TN to blame for its water woes, can’t release more after Sept 12, Karnataka tells SC

“Tamil Nadu has to be blamed for its present problems. The representative of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti rightly stated before the CWMA in the 23rd meeting that release/withdrawal during 2023-24 from Mettur reservoir have been on higher side [and] judicious use of water by Tamil Nadu, taking into account the distress condition, could have resulted in better availability of utilisable water for a longer period,” the affidavit by Karnataka’s Additional Chief Secretary, Water Resources, stated, referring to the minutes of the August 29 CWMA meeting.

The affidavit was filed in response to Tamil Nadu’s request to the court to direct Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water daily.

On its own water problems, Karnataka stated that it is facing a “severe drought situation” both in Cauvery and Krishna basins, which puts a heavy burden on the state. As on September 4, live storage in the Cauvery basin is 56.043 tmc (thousand million cubic feet), according to the affidavit. The expected inflow is about 40 tmc.

As against this available water, Karnataka’s requirement in the remaining part of the season, taking August 11 as the base, is 140 tmc, as submitted before CWMA. “Therefore, I submit that it may not be feasible to further release any water from the reservoirs in Karnataka after 12.09.2023 i.e., after complying with the directions of CWMA meeting held on 29.08.2023 without risking the needs of Karnataka,” the state said in the affidavit.

At the 23rd CWMA meeting, Karrnataka was asked to ensure release of water at the rate of 5000 cusecs for the next 15 days.

Karnataka said that it has filed review petition on September 2, “seeking reduction of the quantity from 5000 cusecs to 3000 cusecs per day, inter alia, on the ground that outflows from Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu have been reduced from 10,000 cusecs to 8,000 cusecs, which may indicate water available from the north-east and/or groundwater sources in the delta region, where it exists in abundant quantity”.

The affidavit pointed out that “shortfall of rainfall is about 66 percent in the catchment below the reservoirs in Karnataka and the interstate border”. The state urged the apex court to dismiss Tamil Nadu’s application, saying “it is wholly unjustified and based on a completely erroneous assumption that this water year of 2023-24 is a normal water year”.