Cauvery Row: Heavy Rainfall Brings Relief as Karnataka Increases Water Flow towards Tamil Nadu

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that 1.5 tmcft of water is flowing to Biligundlu in Tamil Nadu daily, with an increase in the inflow into the four major reservoirs in the Cauvery river basin in his state, following good rains in the catchment areas.

Also, the Water Resources Minister said, "if things continue this way the problem in releasing water to Tamil Nadu may probably get sorted out." 

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) last week issued a directive to the State to release one tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu daily from July 12 to this month-end.

"The inflow into Harangi is 12,827 cusecs, Hemavati is 14,027 cusecs, to KRS 25,933 cusecs, and to Kabini it is 22,840 cusecs," Shivakumar said.

Making a statement in the House, he said: "As per their (CWRC) calculation 40 tmc water has to go to Biligundlu (in Tamil Nadu), so far six tmc has gone. So every day about 1.5 tmc is going. If things continue this way probably our problem will get sorted out." 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had after an all-party meeting on Sunday said the government was ready to release 8,000 cusecs of water from the Cauvery river every day to Tamil Nadu instead of one tmcft (11,500 cusecs).

The storage in the four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin stood at 63 percent of the total capacity and, in this situation, the state was not in a position to release one tmcft of water each day, he had said.

Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said because of rains the Cauvery problem is getting resolved.

"During the all party meeting we had said: don't release water and go for an appeal, but the legal opinion that came was to release 8,000 cusecs and IA (interlocutory application) will be filed. We had told the government that if there are more rains, release water (to Tamil Nadu) and if there are less rains then immediately stop it. Rain is on...it is good...at least the dispute will resolve as of now. I thank the rain god for this," he said.

The Centre formed the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on June 2, 1990, to adjudicate disputes between Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry with respect to the water-sharing capacities.

(With Inputs from PTI)