Cauvery Water Management Authority upholds Karnataka water release directive to Tamil Nadu; all-party meeting to be convened under CM Shivakumar
New Delhi, July 30
The Cauvery Water Management Authority, which met in New Delhi on Thursday, upheld the recommendation of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee directing Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu, with a total release of 4 TMC recommended over 15 days.
Officials from Karnataka said that an all-party meeting will be convened soon under the Chief Minister D K Shivakumar leadership after he returns from Delhi to decide on the next course of action. The next legal battle and the options available to us will also be decided in the meeting with the Chief Minister, they said.
The CWRC had on July 28 ordered Karnataka to commence release of water to Tamil Nadu with effect from July 29. Karnataka had filed an appeal against the CWRC before the CWMA
Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP MPs, led by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and former Karnataka CM and MP Basavaraj Bommai, met Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in the national capital today, urging the Centre not to pressure Karnataka into implementing the CWRC's water-release order.
MPs Jagadish Shettar, Govind Karjol, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, PC Mohan and PC Gaddigoudar were present at the meeting.
The MPs also thanked the Central government for deciding in favour of Karnataka, stating that "there is no scope for objections" from other states regarding the construction of the Mekedatu dam by the State government.
The order has also triggered anger among farmer groups in Karnataka's drought-affected Cauvery basin. Farmers' association leader Kurubur Shanthakumar rejected the CWRC's direction and said, "The state government should not go by that verdict under any circumstances. That verdict must be defied, and an appeal should be filed in the Supreme Court."
He described the region's situation as severe for farmers and their livelihood.
"The reason is that, in our region, there has been no rain for the last two months. Farmers are suffering due to drought. Sugarcane and banana crops that the farmers have grown have dried up. Farmers are in distress. If we release water now, we will not be able to get it back," he said.
He added, "There is a situation where we may face a drinking water crisis. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board has already announced that people should use water judiciously and has declared a reduction in water release. Considering all these issues, we do not accept what the state government has done."
He said that farmers in the Haveri command area were warning that they would take to the streets in protest.
The issue comes amid renewed political exchanges between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River. Karnataka C M DK Shivakumar has maintained that the project is within the state's rights and argued that it would benefit Tamil Nadu as well.
Tamil Nadu CM Vijay wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the proposed project on July 28, urging the Centre to safeguard the interests of the lower riparian states and ensure that any decision on the project is consistent with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) Award and the Supreme Court's judgment on the Cauvery water dispute.
In the letter, Vijay referred to the reply given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti in the Rajya Sabha to an unstarred question on the Mekedatu project, which stated that the Supreme Court's judgment dated February 16, 2018, does not expressly stipulate that Karnataka should obtain the consent of the lower riparian states before constructing a structure across the Cauvery River.
Separately, DMK president and former Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced that a major protest would be held in Thanjavur on August 3, led by Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, alleging that the ruling TVK government had failed farmers on issues including farm loan waiver, the Mekedatu dam project and the delayed opening of the Mettur Dam.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's interesting to see how water disputes play out in India. Up in Canada we have similar issues between provinces over water sharing. Seems like the Mekedatu project could be a long-term solution, but it needs everyone at the table. Hope the all-party meeting finds a balanced approach.
I'm a water conservation engineer, and honestly, both states need to focus on rainwater harvesting and better irrigation methods. This annual fight over Cauvery water is exhausting. Instead of legal battles, why not invest in desilting tanks and cloud seeding? Just a thought. 🤔
I feel for Tamil Nadu farmers too, but Karnataka's situation is dire. The BWSSB has already cut water supply in Bangalore! Shivakumar faces an impossible task. Instead of fighting, both states should jointly petition the Centre for more funds to build new reservoirs and recharge groundwater.
I appreciate the CWMA trying to follow the tribunal award, but climate change is making these old allocation formulas obsolete. We need a fresh scientific assessment of actual river flow. Also, the Mekedatu dam could regulate supply for both states 🤝 Let's think long term, not just election year politics.
Reading this from London, it reminds me of how complex water sharing can be in densely populated regions. But the protests and political blame game don't help anyone. Maybe the Supreme Court should mandate a joint water management board with representation from both states and neutral experts?
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.