Owing to deficient rainfall in the Cauvery basin during the Southwest monsoon, Karnataka has decided to convey its inability to ensure normal discharge of water to Tamil Nadu.
Minister for Water Resources M.B. Patil said for the first three months of the current water-year — from June to August, Karnataka released 21 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu against the stipulated quantum of 34 tmcft as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award.
The State is expected to release 125 tmcft by December-end, Mr. Patil said, and urged Tamil Nadu to “understand the gravity of water crisis in Karnataka”. The State government, in its last Cabinet meeting, had decided that it would not release water for crops such as paddy and sugarcane owing to poor storage in its reservoirs in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka.
“This is a distress year as far as availability of water in Cauvery basin is concerned. We expect Tamil Nadu to share this distress too,” he said, after attending a high-level meeting presided by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday to find out ways for economical use of available water in the Cauvery basin.
Presenting details of water levels in KRS, Hemavathy, Harangi, and Kabini, Mr. Patil said the total available storage from these reservoirs is 62 tmcft, just 54 per cent of the storage recorded during the corresponding period last year. Available water would be conserved to meet the drinking water needs of Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and over two dozen towns in the basin.
Mr. Siddaramaiah instructed the Water Resources Department officials to draw up a water management plan for the upcoming months.
This is a distress year in Cauvery basin.
We expect Tamil Nadu
to share the distress, says Water Resources Minister
