Karnataka: Release 8,000 cusecs of water daily to TN II VYGR

Cauvery issue: Amid the ongoing Cauvery water conflict, the Karnataka government offered to provide 8,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu after an all-party meeting on Sunday. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presided over the meeting.

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) recommended releasing one thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of Cauvery water, which is when this development took place. According to Deputy CM Shivakumar, the Karnataka administration has chosen to give Tamil Nadu access to 8,000 cusecs of water in response to the recommendation. He emphasized that there had been a 30% drop in the amount of water entering dams.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) ordered Karnataka to release 11,500 cusecs (one tmcft) every day from July 12 to July 31. The Karnataka government will file an appeal against this decision with the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). Following a meeting with both states on Thursday, July 11, the CWMA suggested releasing 1 tmc, or 11,500 cusecs, of water every day for 20 days beginning on Friday, July 12.

Chief Minister Siddarmaiah gave an overview of the decisions made at the meeting, saying, "Today, there was an all-party meeting attended by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, BJP leaders, and leaders of the Mysuru basin. They filed an appeal with the CWMA, arguing that we shouldn't release the water. A member of the legal team named Mohan Katarki proposed that we release 8,000 cusecs of water given the current circumstances; if rain is forecast, we will release more. The meeting was where this decision was made."

The CM claims that because Kabini Dam has reached its maximum storage capacity of 96%, 20,000 cusecs were released to TN on July 12 and 19,000 cusecs on July 13.

Siddaramaiah said that 2023 was a 'distress year' with little rainfall, pointing out that the state should be able to release 177 tmcft of water in a typical year, but only 81 tmc could be released last year.

Inputs: Agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies