On August 29, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) gave Karnataka the go-ahead to make sure that 5,000 cusecs of water were released at Billigundulu on the interstate boundary for the following 15 days, up to September 12.
This was settled upon during a two-hour-long CWMA conference in New Delhi. Other States participated in the meeting online, except Tamil Nadu, which was represented at the conference by Sandeep Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resources department. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), which held its meetings on August 28, recommended the quantity.
Karnataka's position was 3,000 cusecs, whereas Tamil Nadu's request was for 24,000 cusecs.
Saumitra Kumar Haldar, chairman of the CWMA, stated to The Hindu that the choice was based on an examination of the current year's data with that of the long-term average, which was reached after taking into consideration the 30-year worth of data. Haldar pointed to the deficit in rainfall and inflows into four Karnataka reservoirs in the basin.
The decision was made, according to Mr. Haldar, based on discussions, about the actual shortage, inflows, and outflows from all reservoirs. "The shortfall in inflow into the Karnataka reservoirs this time is 51%," he noted.
When asked if the decision had been accepted by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Mr. Haldar acknowledged there were "divergent opinions" because Tamil Nadu had requested more and Karnataka was "not comfortable."
It would take 15 days to realize the quantum of 5,000 cusecs, or 6.48 trillion cubic feet (tmc ft). Normally, the realisation would have been 19.154 tmc ft between August 29 and September 12.
According to a local water expert, the quantum would be 9.384 tmc ft after accounting for the 51% shortage, which was almost three tmc ft higher than the CWMA's real requirement.
An official from the Tamil Nadu government voiced unhappiness with the choice and claimed that it would not even meet the present discharge, which is just approximately 8,000 cusecs, which is scarcely enough for Cauvery delta farmers. Regarding Tamil Nadu, it would be anticipating the Supreme Court's decision, which will be heard on Friday (September 1). Following the CWMA's previous meeting on August 11, Tamil Nadu approached the Authority to request a directive to Karnataka to guarantee the immediate realization of 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Billigundulu for the remainder of the month, beginning on August 14. Additionally, it demanded that during September, the neighboring State adhere to the agreed-upon amount of 36.76 tmc ft.
As of August 27, Tamil Nadu was experiencing a Cauvery water shortage of roughly 50.2 tmc ft. The Mettur Dam's water level and storage levels were 51.98 feet and 19.81 feet, respectively, on Tuesday morning. 2,031 cubic seconds were inflow.
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