The Kerala government on Thursday moved the Supreme Court for a review of its February 16 judgment in the Cauvery dispute. It has asked the apex court to modify the verdict to allow the State to divert five tmcft from its total share for drinking water requirements of Kozhikode Corporation and 13 panchayats.
Kerala urged the Supreme Court that this diversion would not affect the legitimate interests of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The State said it was not asking the apex court for allocation of any additional quantity of water, but only an order regarding the utilisation of the 30 tmcft of the river water.
Kerala is utilising a portion of the water allocated to it in the trans-basin Banasurasagar Multipurpose Project for generating power. The tail waters are used to provide drinking water supply to the Kozhikode Corporation and 13 panchayats in Kozhikode district.
The water is also used for irrigation in north Kerala.
Operational since 1988, Kerala has invested ₹1613.22 crores in various components of the project.
The State argued that a modification in the order would justify the investments made in the project and ensure the continuation of vital drinking water supply to Kozhikode Corporation area and 13 panchayats.
If not, the irrigation under Kuttiyadi Irrigation Project to an ayacut of 36,000 acres, along with power supply to northern part of the State, may be affected.
Kerala pointed out how the judgment had given the need for drinking water top priority while allocating 4.75 tmcft of Cauvery water to Bengaluru, even though the city was located outside the Cauvery basin. The court has already held that under the National Water Policy, adequate drinking water should be ensured in both urban and rural parts of the country, the review petition contended.
Tamil Nadu or Karnataka has not yet sought a review of the verdict.
