CHENNAI: The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee on Monday recommended that Karnataka has to ensure release from its reservoirs so that the flows at the rate of 2,600 cusecs are realized at Biligundlu from November 1 to 23, amid Karnataka’s opposition that it would not be able to release water to Tamil Nadu.
The Cauvery Water Management Authority will meet on Friday to take a final call on the further release as its previous fortnightly order ends on Tuesday.
At the CWRC meeting held via video conferencing, the Tamil Nadu government demanded that Karnataka release 13,000 cusecs for the next 15 days. This would work out to 16.9tmcft.
“The Karnataka government said that they are not in a position to release water. The committee has taken a decision based on the hydro-meteorological condition and rainfall in the catchment areas,” CWRC chairman Vineet Gupta told TOI.
Since the southwest monsoon withdrew, the committee found that there was negligible rain in the region this month until Friday. The meteorology department is said to have pointed out that the rainfall in the Cauvery basin between October 16 and 27 was less than normal rainfall.
Sources said Karnataka requested the CWRC to report to the authority that in the light of almost nil inflows into four reservoirs, it would not be able to release water from its reservoirs so as to reach the inter-state border Biligundlu, except that would be contributed from the uncontrolled catchment areas in the downstream of Krishnarajasagar dam.
Tamil Nadu representatives had contended that Karnataka released only 56.394tmcft as against the stipulated quantum of 140tmcft between June 1 and 26 in the current water year.
Since the storage in Mettur reservoir is only 18tmcft as against the capacity of 93tmcft, the supply could not be maintained for agriculture and the standing crops were withering.
The outflow is maintained at only 500 cusecs in the reservoir.
“The crop could be saved if only Karnataka releases at the rate of 13,000 cusecs, including the backlog and future mandated releases,” said a source.
The Tamil Nadu government recorded at the meeting that the decision of the CWRC was far less.
The CWRC chairman also recommended that Tamil Nadu should release at the rate of 165 cusecs to Karaikal in Puducherry between November 1 and 23.
The Cauvery Water Management Authority will meet on Friday to take a final call on the further release as its previous fortnightly order ends on Tuesday.
At the CWRC meeting held via video conferencing, the Tamil Nadu government demanded that Karnataka release 13,000 cusecs for the next 15 days. This would work out to 16.9tmcft.
“The Karnataka government said that they are not in a position to release water. The committee has taken a decision based on the hydro-meteorological condition and rainfall in the catchment areas,” CWRC chairman Vineet Gupta told TOI.
Since the southwest monsoon withdrew, the committee found that there was negligible rain in the region this month until Friday. The meteorology department is said to have pointed out that the rainfall in the Cauvery basin between October 16 and 27 was less than normal rainfall.
Sources said Karnataka requested the CWRC to report to the authority that in the light of almost nil inflows into four reservoirs, it would not be able to release water from its reservoirs so as to reach the inter-state border Biligundlu, except that would be contributed from the uncontrolled catchment areas in the downstream of Krishnarajasagar dam.
Tamil Nadu representatives had contended that Karnataka released only 56.394tmcft as against the stipulated quantum of 140tmcft between June 1 and 26 in the current water year.
Since the storage in Mettur reservoir is only 18tmcft as against the capacity of 93tmcft, the supply could not be maintained for agriculture and the standing crops were withering.
The outflow is maintained at only 500 cusecs in the reservoir.
“The crop could be saved if only Karnataka releases at the rate of 13,000 cusecs, including the backlog and future mandated releases,” said a source.
The Tamil Nadu government recorded at the meeting that the decision of the CWRC was far less.
The CWRC chairman also recommended that Tamil Nadu should release at the rate of 165 cusecs to Karaikal in Puducherry between November 1 and 23.