A day before the Supreme Court is to hear the Cauvery dispute case, Tamil Nadu on Monday said Karnataka could “easily spare” 4 tmc ft. for May.
Karnataka filed a counter within hours, saying it has already released 116.697 tmc ft. to Tamil Nadu at the inter-State Bilingundlu border despite this being a distress year for the third consecutive year.
It said Tamil Nadu had received an excess of 16.66 tmc ft. Water had been released as per the measurements of the Central Water Commission and that Tamil Nadu’s share at the end of April 2018 at the inter-State border worked out to 100.04 tmc ft.
Meanwhile, Centre's counsel Wasim Qadiri said it would be filing an affidavit seeking 10 days' time to "fine-tune" the Cauvery draft scheme, which is "almost ready".
The affidavit, which Mr. Qadiri said would be tendered in court on Tuesday during the hearing, would highlight the steps so far taken by the Centre. This would include meetings conducted by the chief ministers' officials, stake holders, objections raised by the States concerned, etc.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra is scheduled to hear the matter on May 8.
Tamil Nadu, in its application, said Karnataka had 19.834 tmc ft. as on May 4 in its four reservoirs. The effective storage was 9.834 tmc ft. The storage in the Mettur Dam was 9.502 tmc ft. when the utilisable storage being only 4.502 tmc ft.
“Thus, Karnataka is in a better position and can easily spare the 4 tmc ft. as observed by the Supreme Court, even after meeting the requirement of drinking water supply for one month i.e. May, 2018 viz. 1.6 tmc ft,” Tamil Nadu said.
The court should “direct Karnataka to make good the shortfalls and release 4 tmc ft. forthwith,” it said.
“Distress year in Cauvery basin”
Karnataka countered that 2017-18 was a “distress year in the Cauvery basin and that too for the third time on a consecutive basis”.
Tamil Nadu said the Centre was “duty bound” to implement the orders passed by the Supreme Court on February 16, 2018 to frame a Cauvery scheme to provide for a Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
It said the Centre should implement this “without any further delay so as to ensure that timely releases are made during the ensuing irrigation year beginning June 1, 2018 and other directions of the Tribunal as affirmed by the Supreme Court with regard to irrigated area, utilisation of water, etc, are fully implemented in letter and spirit”.
In the last hearing, the court had asked whether Karnataka has complied with the releases during the months from February to April, 2018. It was pointed out on behalf of Tamil Nadu that there was a shortfall and in April the short fall was about 1.4 tmc ft. Tamil Nadu had argued that Karnataka has to ensure 2.5 tmc ft. during May, 2018. On May 3, the Centre had informed a Bench led by Chief Justice Misra about its inability to frame the Cauvery draft scheme within the May 3 deadline given by the apex court, saying the "Prime Minister and ministers are travelling". On April 9, the Supreme Court had categorically directed the Centre to frame the draft Cauvery scheme by May 3 and prove its bonafide resolve to end the 200-year-old dispute between the poll bound Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
