Water Resources Minister Durai Muruganon Saturday asserted that Tamil Nadu had the right toexecute, legally and on humanitariangrounds, thesecond phase of theHogenakkalcombined drinking water project.
Assuring the people that the project would be “definitely implemented,” Mr Durai Murugan,inastatement, referred to observations of his Karnataka counterpartGovindKarjolagainst Tamil Nadu’s project.
The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, in its final order of February 2017, allocated 2.2 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) to Tamil Nadu for consumptive use.Consequently,the Statehad been permittedto draw about 11 tmc ft.This had been made, after the Tribunal had apportionedwater among States [and Union Territory of Puducherry] of the Cauvery basinon the basis of irrigated areasserved.
After providing water for various beneficial uses to all parties to thedispute, the Tribunal hadfixed 25.71 tmc ft as Tamil Nadu’s share out of the balance quantum of water. This was, in turn, worked outon the basis of the 2011 Census,after considering the requirements of the permitted irrigated schemes. TheSupreme Court,in its judgment in February 2018, confirmed it, Mr Durai Murugan said.
He added that under the National and Tamil Nadu Water Policies, domesticrequirements had been given the first priority. The Clause XVIII of the Tribunal’s final orderhad also permitted the use of water for such essential requirements. Regardless of thediversion ofwater from any reservoirfor the purposes of domesticor waterdistributionby local bodiesorindustry, theutilisationof water would be accounted foronly under the head of the State concerned.
