New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday moved the Supreme Court 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.
Last week, the TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had made a statement in the Legislative Assembly that the State would move the apex court to ensure that Karnataka released the stipulated quantum of water. Accordingly, in an application filed through advocates B. Balaji and G. Umapathi, the State 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 of Karnataka, as the cumulative shortfall as on August 19 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 the Cauvery Basin of Tamil Nadu.
The livelihood of more than 40 lakh people would be seriously affected if the agricultural operations are not commenced immediately. Any further delay in commencement of the operation would result in the samba crop being affected by the vagaries of North East Monsoon.
TN said the pro-tem 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 utilised more than its entitlement.
The state pointed out that in Karnataka, as per its own statement, had utilised 302.90 tmcft of water during 2015-2016 as against the permitted quantity of 250 tmcft for irrigation. Karnataka is eligible to grow perennial crop only in an extent of 40,000 acres for which irrigation requirement for the summer months is about 4.3 tmcft only, whereas Karnataka has utilised a huge quantity of 26.94 tmcft during the year 2015-2016 which disproves that it is a distress year as claimed by Karnataka.
Pointing out the failure of Karnataka to honour its commitment, TN said it has not received daily/monthly releases of water for the months from 1st June to 19th August 2016 and there is a cumulative shortfall of 50.052 tmcft. at Billigundulu. It said a letter was sent to Karnataka on July 30 requesting it to make good the shortfall of 22.934 tmcft as on July 27. However, no reply was received from the State of Karnataka till date.
Quoting data from the Meteorological department, TN said Karnataka had received normal rainfall this year under the South West Monsoon but it is deficient in the Cauvery delta region in TN. While seeking a direction to release 50.052 tmcft of water, TN wanted Karnataka to ensure the stipulated releases as per the Final Order of the Tribunal during the remaining months in the irrigation year 2016-2017, so that the interests of the farmers depending on Cauvery waters is not prejudiced.
