CWRC asks Karnataka to release water at 3,216 cusecs for 38 days from November 24

CWRC recommends Karnataka ensure 3,216 cusecs/day for 38 days from Nov 24 to meet Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's award. Karnataka argued inflow to reservoirs ceased, insufficient to meet needs. Tamil Nadu demanded 5,000 cusecs for 30 days, but CWRC settled on 3,216 cusecs for 38 days.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has recommended that Karnataka needs to ensure flow in the Cauvery to the tune of 3,216 cusecs per day to be realised at Biligundlu for 38 days from November 24.

The CWRC, which met in New Delhi on Thursday, said Karnataka needs to ensure stipulated quantities of flow as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s award as modified by the Supreme Court for the above period.

Earlier, Karnataka pleaded before the committee to desist from giving any directions for further release of water from its Cauvery reservoirs. Karnataka said it would not be able to release any water from its reservoirs so as to reach Biligundlu except the water that would be contributed from the uncontrolled catchment area.

Karnataka submitted that the total shortfall in cumulative inflow to its Cauvery basin reservoirs stood at 52.24% till November 22.

Karnataka said that inflow into all its four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin had ceased and the present cumulative storage, as of November 21, was insufficient to meet the requirements for irrigation, drinking and other domestic needs. Referring to the IMD statistics which show that rainfall was normal in Tamil Nadu since October, Karnataka maintained that there were indications that the rainfall situation will be satisfactory in the Cauvery delta region below Mettur during the northeast monsoon season.

It also argued that the kuruvai crop in Tamil Nadu has been harvested by the end of September and hence there is no need of water for this crop. It also maintained that the samba crop has reached the stage of maturity and would be ready for harvest in the first week of December, indicating that the neighbouring State may not need much water. However, Tamil Nadu demanded that Karnataka should release water at the rate of 5,000 cusecs for the next 30 days.

Finally, the CWRC recommended that Karnataka needs to ensure 3,216 cusecs per day for 38 days from November 24.