The Karnataka government on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court for a direction to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to reconsider its September 18 decision to ensure a flow of 5,000 cusecs of river water to Tamil Nadu till September 29.
The State urged the court to direct the CWMA to reconsider its decision of September 18 after taking a fresh recommendation from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
“This water year of 2023-24 has begun on a bad note. The south-west monsoon which feeds the catchment in Karnataka has failed miserably. Even at the reservoir level, which covers a part of the catchment, the shortfall is 53.42%. If the shortfall is considered up to the inter-State border Biligundulu, where flows are accountable, shortfall and distress would be much more than 53.42%,” the Karnataka application said.
Cumulative release
Karnataka said it had cumulatively ensured 3,10,404 cusecs as against 2,91,000 cusecs. “Therefore, Karnataka has ensured 19,404 cusecs more than what the CWMA had ordered,” its application underscored.
Karnataka said the CWMA had not considered the fact that the distress in the Cauvery basin could not be assessed solely on the basis of inflows into four reservoirs which cover only a small catchment of 12,761 sq. km as against the catchment up to the inter-State border Biligundulu which cover 36,682 sq.km and while basement’s catchment up to Lower Coleroon Anicut in Tamil Nadu which covers 81,155 sq km.
The application argued that the CWMA did not consider the north-east monsoon rainfall, which starts in October and entirely benefits Tamil Nadu.
“Whether Karnataka can be directed to ensure water without assessing its minimum requirement for crops, drinking water, including drinking water of Bangalore City in times of drought?” the State asked.
