Tamil Nadu moves SC to direct Karnataka to release 45 tmc ft water forthwith
New Delhi: Pointing out that the state is facing a distress situation, Tamil Nadu on Saturday moved the Supreme Court to direct Karnataka to release forthwith 45.327 TMC ft. of water from the reservoirs of Karnataka, which is the cumulative shortfall as on September 30 during the current water year 2015-2016.
In its application TN said the non-release of water by Karnataka in terms of the Final Order of the Cauvery Water Diputes Tribunal has jeopardized the cultivation operations in about 15 lakh acres in the systems fed by Cauvery waters supplied from Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu, and is affecting the livelihood of more than 4 million people.
It said the apex court has constituted a pro-tem Supervisory Committee for the purpose of ensuring the implementation of the Final Order and to set up a mechanism to monitor the flows into the major reservoirs and drawal of water by Karnataka including diversion of water before the water reaches the four major Reservoirs.
It said water has to be continuously supplied in the Cauvery fed Districts in Tamil Nadu till January, 2016, for the sustenance of the Samba crop.
The storage in Mettur Reservoir as onSeptember 4 is only 50.552 TMC ft. and the inflow continues to dwindle fast, while Karnataka has enough storage in its four major Reservoirs and has been releasing water from July for its irrigation to the detriment of TN.
It is a matter of serious concern to TN that Karnataka has been building up the storages in its Dams without releasing water on daily / monthly intervals as per the Final Order of the Tribunal. During the irrigation season 2014–2015, Karnataka had drawn about 140 TMC ft. in the canals taking off from the four major Reservoirs between June to January, against its entitlement of about 103 TMC.
TN said that the Supervisory Committee which met on September 24 has not directed Karnataka to make up the shortfall in supplies to TN. It proposed to form only a Sub-Committee to suggest the procedure to determine the distress in an ongoing year and valuable time is passing without TN getting any relief. Hence TN is constrained to approach this Court for urgent orders. It sought a direction to Karnataka to forthwith release waters from its reservoirs so as to make good the shortfall of 45.327 TMC ft. at Billigundulu as on September 30.
