1.5 tmcft of water flowing to Tamil Nadu daily: Shivakumar

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that 1.5 tmcft of water is flowing daily to Biligundlu reservoir on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu owing to good rain in the State.

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that 1.5 tmcft of water is flowing daily to Biligundlu reservoir on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu owing to good rain in the State.

Providing details of the flow of water to Tamil Nadu, he said 6 tmcft of water had already flowed to Biligundlu as against the specification of 40 tmcft.

“As per the specifications, Karnataka is to release 40 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu. As per our records at Biligundlu, 6 tmcft of water has flowed to Tamil Nadu. The daily flow to Tamil Nadu has reached 1.5 tmcft. With good rains, meeting the requirement won’t be an issue is my feeling,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee has asked Karnataka to ensure the flow of 1 tmcft (11,500 cusecs) at Biligundlu every day till July 31 to supply water to Tamil Nadu.

“There will be no problem if the State receives rain like this and water flows in this manner,” Mr. Shivakumar said. On June 16, the inflow of water into Harangi, Hemavati, Krishnaraja Sagar, and Kabini reservoirs was 56,627 cusecs, he said.

Earlier, speaking to reporters, he urged Tamil Nadu to cooperate on the Mekedatu project, a balancing reservoir proposed across the Cauvery, stating that the project helps Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka. “The water stored in the reservoir will help us to release it on time to Tamil Nadu. There are Kannadigas, Tamilians, and Andhrites in Bengaluru and drinking water from the project will benefit all of them. I appeal to them to cooperate on this,” he said.

“Like we held an all-party meet on the Cauvery, Tamil Nadu too is holding an all-party meeting. They are entitled to do so and we don’t have any objection to it. But they should cooperate with us as it [Mekedatu project] benefits them,” he said, replying to a question on the all-party meet organised by Tamil Nadu. “Rainfall picked up in the State from Monday and the inflow into the Cauvery basin reservoirs has increased. Rain has come to our rescue,” he added.