Cauvery Water Management Authority upholds Cauvery Water Regulation Committee direction to Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs a day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days

The Cauvery flowing through Bengaluru South district. Karnataka expressed its inability to ensure any further release on the grounds that it had to prioritise its limited water storage for drinking water requirements.  | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Karnataka, reeling under serious drought, has found itself in a tough situation again with the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Thursday upholding an earlier direction of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to the State to ensure release of Cauvery water at a rate of 3,000 cusecs a day for 15 days to Tamil Nadu. The total release for 15 days will add up to 3.88 tmcft.

As per the order, the release will have to commence from 8 a.m. of October 9 (Friday). The stipulated release has to be ensured at Biligundlu inter-State water gauge.

Earlier, Karnataka expressed its inability to ensure any further release on the grounds that it had to prioritise its limited water storage for drinking water requirements. The State pointed out that it was reeling under serious hydrological distress which was marked by 54% deficit in cumulative inflows to its four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin.