The demand for a scientific distress formula, according to Karnataka Water Resources Department officials, stems from the fact that currently the allocation for the States in a distress year is “ad hoc”, and both the Cauvery tribunal and the Supreme Court have not clearly spelt out the formula.
“The Cauvery Water Management Authority is still in the process of drawing up the formula and it is there on the agenda. The last 30 years’ rainfall average and storage in reservoir is taken into consideration before allocating the quantum in the distress year currently,” sources said.
As per Clause VII of CWDT award, as modified by the Supreme Court order of February 16, 2018, the court noted: “In case the yield of Cauvery basin is less in a distress year, the allocated shares shall be proportionally reduced among the States of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.”
Sources in the department said that it is difficult to have a pro-rata reduction since the quantum of rainfall in South West Monsoon and North East Monsoon will be available only by January. “By then, the water year would be almost over. If South West Monsoon fails for Karnataka and Tamil Nadu gets good North East Monsoon, water cannot be brought back to Karnataka,” he said.
No mathematical formula
Sources said that there cannot be a “mathematical formula” to calculate distress. “Each distress year should be treated differently. Opening balance of the reservoir, area under cultivation, and rainfall among many other parameters need to be taken into account for each distress year,” said the source.
