The Supreme Court, on Monday, August 21, agreed to list a plea filed by the Tamil Nadu government demanding the release of its allotment of Cauvery river water from Karnataka for the month of August. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said that the bench would be constituted as soon as possible. “I will constitute a bench today," said a bench headed by the CJI, to senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the state of Tamil Nadu as it sought urgent listing of the matter.
Tamil Nadu has filed the petition at the apex court asking for a direction to the state of Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery between August 14 and 31. Rohtagi apprised the bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, that Tamil Nadu has moved an application seeking the release of water for the month of August in accordance with the directions passed by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). CWMA held a meeting on August 11, when it directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water from August 14, but the state said that it can only release 8,000 cusecs owing to a rainfall deficit.
However, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, on Monday, said that the state was directed to release 10,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery till August 31. The Tamil Nadu side had lodged a protest against Karnataka with the CWMA for not releasing sufficient water to the state, thereby risking its Samba cultivation. With Karnataka announcing the release of only 10 TMC water, farmers in Tamil Nadu are resorting to staging protests on the streets.
Ever since the Congress government assumed charge in Karnataka earlier this year, the state government has been aggressively mooting the construction of a dam at Mekedatu across the Cauvery river which has led to concerns in Tamil Nadu. Karnataka has announced that it has allocated an amount of Rs 8,000 crore for the construction of the Mekedatu dam, a bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. However, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu has openly stated that it would not allow the Karnataka government to construct a dam across Mekedatu flouting the Cauvery water agreement.
Speaking to reporters, DK Shivakumar said, “Our requirement is 124 TMC of water. However, only 55 TMC of water is available. The Mekedatu project is the only solution for the present water scarcity,” he said. He further explained that Bengaluru city requires 24 TMC for drinking water. Mysuru, Mandya and Ramanagara require 20 TMC of water. The state reservoirs KRS has 22 TMC, Kabini 6.5 TMC, Harangi 7 TMC and Hemavathi 20 TMC of water storage.
He said that there is no water available with the state to release for Tamil Nadu. For the sake of standing crops and the benefit of farmers, the water has been released two times. “We have requested the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) to reconsider its decision. Once the all-party meeting is held, a decision to make an appeal in the Supreme Court will be made,” he said.
He said that some want politics and controversy to be created around the issue however the people already know the role of such people. He also said that the all-party meeting has been called under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister on August 23 over the matters of Cauvery, Mahadayi and Mekedatu projects issues.
“Former chief ministers and members of parliament have also been invited. If the opposition is willing to take an all-party delegation to the union government over the Cauvery issue, the Congress government will welcome it,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
“We are adopting a wait-and-watch policy. The Supreme Court had directed to release 10,000 cusecs till August 31. The opposition is criticising it. I know how water was released to Tamil Nadu during their tenure,” he said. He said that the Tamil Nadu government has gone against the CWDT and not against Karnataka. The central government should have filed a petition against Tamil Nadu’s submission, why have they not done so, he asked.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that Tamil Nadu has utilised 64 TMC of water. “Can we stop them from using their share of water? They can use their share of water as per their wishes. We don’t have the right to question them. We release water with meticulous calculations counting every drop. We have not released additional water,” he said.