Even as the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) is set to meet on Thursday to take stock of the situation, Tamil Nadu, the principal lower-riparian State, has received over two thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) more than the quantity stipulated by the CWRC last month.
The data of the Central Water Commission (CWC), which monitors the flow at Biligundulu on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, reveals that during November 1-20, Tamil Nadu received around 7.27 tmc ft, while the CWRC and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had recommended 5.17 tmc ft for November 1-23 at the rate of 2,600 cubic feet per second (cusecs).
The stipulation was determined by the Committee on October 30 and ratified by the CWMA on November 3.
Between June 1 and November 20, the State received 65.27 tmc ft. Had this year been normal, it should have received 152.55 tmc ft. Hence, in a sense, there is a shortfall of 87.28 tmc ft.
After the commencement of the current water supply in June, the monthly realisation did not exceed the 20-tmc-ft mark even once. It came close to the figure only in August, logging 19.99 tmc ft.
It looks like this year’s total realisation, at the end of May 2024, may not cross the 100-tmc-ft mark. If the inflow occurs as per the 42-year-long average (1974-2016), worked out by technical experts in 2016 for December to May, there would be about 43 tmc ft that the State might receive in the coming six months.
On Wednesday morning, Mettur dam, the lifeline of the Cauvery delta, had a storage of 27 tmc ft. The inflow was about 3,800 cusecs.
For over one month, no water was being released for irrigation. Besides, this month, parts of the delta are getting considerable rainfall.
