Karnataka Releases Water At Biligundlu, Cauvery Water Management Authority Tells SC

Cauvery Water Management Authority on Thursday filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court stating that a meeting was held and after that Karnataka fulfilled the directions of CWMA by releasing a total of 1,49,898 cusec of water at Biligundulu from August 12 to August 26.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had said that it doesn’t possess any expertise on this issue and sought a report from the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on the quantum of release made by Karnataka.

Posting the Cauvery river water sharing issue for hearing on September 1, a bench of Justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha and Prashant Kumar Mishra asked CWMA, which met on August 28, to decide release of water for next fortnight in the Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The Authority in its affidavit stated: “In the 22nd meeting held on August 11, it was decided that the State of Karnataka has to ensure releases from the Krishna Raja Sagara and Kabini reservoirs put together, so that the flows are realised at Biligundulu at the rate of 10000 cusecs, starting from August 12 (8 am) for the next 15 days.

“It is respectfully submitted that in the 85th meeting of Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) held on August 28 and thereafter in the 23rd meeting of CWMA held on August 29, the Member from Karnataka informed that as directed by CWMA in its 22nd meeting held on August 11 to ensure realisation of flow of 10000 cusec at Biligundulu, for next 15 days, the State of Karnataka has fulfilled the directions of CWMA by releasing a total of 149898 cusec of water at Biligundulu from August 12 to August 26,” it added.

The affidavit said that as per the decisions taken in the 23rd meeting of CWMA held on August 29, it directed the member from Karnataka to ensure realisation of flows at Biligundulu at the rate of 5000 cusecs, starting from August 29 (8 am) for the next 15 days.

Tamil Nadu government approached the top court seeking direction to Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water daily per day from the reservoirs in Karnataka.

Karnataka government also filed an affidavit last week opposing Tamil Nadu’s application saying that the application is based on an assumption that this year is the normal rainwater year.

It said that Tamil Nadu’s application that Karnataka ensure the release of 36.76 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) stipulated for September 2023 has no legal basis since the said quantity is stipulated in a normal water year and this water year being a distressed water year so far, it is not applicable.

The application is based on an “erroneous assumption” that this year is the normal rainwater year, even though, rainfall is lesser by 25 per cent and inflow into four reservoirs in Karnataka was lesser by 42.5 per cent up to August 9 as recorded by the Cauvery Water Management Authority, Karnataka government stated in its affidavit.

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