The Tamil Nadu government has been making consistent efforts in protecting the interests of farmers and the State’s rights, especially towards getting Cauvery water from neighbouring Karnataka, Secretary of Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Department said on Monday.
In a press release, the official listed out the continuous steps being taken by the State government through the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Supreme Court for getting water from Karnataka for irrigation during 2023-24.
During the 81st, 82nd, 83rd, 84th and 85th meetings of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) held between June 30 and August 28 and the 21st, 22nd and 23rd meetings of the CWMA held between June 16 and August 29, the member from Tamil Nadu insisted that Karnataka release water as per the schedule, the official said.
“However, Karnataka has not released the water as per the schedule. The deficit was increasing from June. Tamil Nadu has been continuously insisting the CWMA to solve this,” the official said. During a meeting on August 10, the CWMA directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water in 15 days from August 11.
Despite Tamil Nadu’s request in the meeting on August 11 for releasing 24,000 cusecs of water, the CMWA arbitrarily reduced the quantum of water to be released by Karnataka to 15,000 cusecs without any basis, the official said. It also failed to issue any order directing Karnataka to release the deficit 37.971 TMC due between June 1 and August 9.
Tamil Nadu continued to insist on its share of water through the CWMA, the official said and added that the State moved the Supreme Court on August 14 for a direction to release 24,000 cusecs of water for August and to further release the water as per the schedule. In its additional affidavit on August 31, Tamil Nadu contended that the CWMA failed in its duty to make Karnataka release water.
Since Tamil Nadu insisted during a hearing of the case on September 1 on an urgent hearing, the case has been posted for September 6, the official said.
