New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday posted for hearing on September 2 an application filed by Tamil Nadu government for a direction to Karnataka to release 50.052 tmcft of water at Billigundulu, being the shortfall in releases so far as per the Final Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
A three-judge bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices A.m. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud fixed the date of hearing on a mention made by senior counsel Shekar Naphade for urgent listing of the application in which the State also sought an interim direction to Karnataka to release 25 tmcft of water forthwith to enable the farmers in the State to raise Samba crop.
TN said it was constrained to file the present application for urgent directions to Karnataka to forthwith release water from its reservoirs in the Cauvery Basin, as the cumulative shortfall as on 19.08.2016 during the current water year 2016-2017, is 50.052 tmcft. It said the present abysmally low storage at Mettur Reservoir of 28 tmcft is grossly inadequate to commence Samba cultivation in about 15 lakhs acres spread over in the Cauvery Basin of Tamil Nadu.
The livelihood of more than 40 lakh population would be affected if the agricultural operations are not commenced immediately. Any delay in commencement of the operation would result in the samba crop being affected by the vagaries of North East Monsoon.
TN said the protem Supervisory Committee set up by the Centre has not been able to discharge its functions as mandated by this court and implement the Final Order of the Tribunal as it has not issued any direction to Karnataka to ensure that the water release is maintained as per the final award.
It stated that during the irrigation year 2015-2016 while Karnataka failed to ensure the stipulated releases, it had unauthorisedly utilized more than its entitlement.
