The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) requested the Karnataka government early this month, to “take suitable necessary action” regarding the release of water from the latter’s reservoirs to Tamil Nadu, according to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry.
Answering a question posed by MP C.Ve. Shanmugam (AIADMK), the Union Minister of State, Bishweswar Tudu, conveyed to the Rajya Sabha on Monday that the CWMA, on July 4, 2023, sent a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary [Rakesh Singh] of the Water Resources Department of the Karnataka government, calling upon the latter to ensure the release so that “the quantum of water realised at Billigundulu, during the current water year 2023-24, is as per the final award of the CWDT [Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal], as modified by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.”
The Minister also gave information with regard to the realisation of water at Billigundulu on the inter-State border in the past three years. As per the Supreme Court’s judgement in February 2018, Karnataka should release 177.25 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) annually at Billigundulu. The realisation was 211.315 tmc ft in 2020-21; 281.058 tmc ft in 2021-22 and 667.483 tmc ft in 2022-23.
