Cauvery row: Karnataka CM says ‘will release water only if available’; Tamil Nadu flags 20 TMC deficit | Bengaluru News
BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday said the state would release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu only if it was available, noting that inflows into its reservoirs had stopped due to a lack of rainfall.Shivakumar said the state government was under significant pressure and planned to file an appeal regarding the matter, news agency ANI reported.“We will release water only if it is available; however, the inflow into our reservoirs has stopped. We are under immense pressure as the rains have ceased, and we intend to file an appeal. I will review the matter of filing an appeal during the special session meeting this evening. The Irrigation Minister is with us,” said Shivakumar.Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court considered Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking release of its share of Cauvery water amid competing claims by the two states over water availability.Tamil Nadu alleged a shortfall of 20 TMC, while Karnataka cited drought conditions in its basin, ANI reported.Tamil Nadu told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that it had suffered crop losses due to inadequate water.Appearing for Tamil Nadu, senior counsel CS Vaidyanathan said the state had already lost its Purvai crop, an early or late Kharif crop, due to the shortage of water.He alleged that Karnataka was “taking all the water” and said Tamil Nadu was seeking enforcement of the Cauvery water-sharing arrangement.The bench asked Tamil Nadu about the extent of the alleged shortfall. Vaidyanathan said Tamil Nadu had assessed the deficit at 20 TMC, while Karnataka had put it at 16 TMC.He alleged that the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had failed to adequately address the shortfall and sought directions to make up the deficit, ANI reported.Karnataka opposed the plea, with senior counsel Shyam Divan telling the bench that the state was facing a drought-like situation.He said Karnataka had nevertheless continued releasing water in compliance with directions issued by the CWMA.(With agency inputs)
