The additional allocation of 4.75 tmcft of water for drinking purposes for Bengaluru will accrue as a benefit to farmers in Karnataka’s Cauvery basin. At present, the city’s thirst is slaked by water diverted from the irrigation component of the State. This dependence will now reduce, benefiting farmers.
The final award of the Cauvery Tribunal of 2007 had allocated only 1.75 tmcft of water for drinking water purposes to Karnataka. As a third of Bengaluru is considered basin area, the city was accordingly allocated 0.5 tmcft. However, at present, the city draws 19 tmcft of water annually, which meets only 60% of its needs, said B.N. Thyagaraja, chairman, Expert Committee (2013) on new water resources for Bengaluru.
The Cauvery V Stage set to be completed by 2023 is billed to let Bengaluru draw another 10 tmcft, the State Budget on Friday said. This will be now reduced to 5.25 tmcft, saving 4.75 tmcft of water in the irrigation component, benefiting farmers in the basin area. Thus, the entire increase of 14.75 tmcft for the State, will effectively be available for the farmers of the Cauvery basin. The final award of the Cauvery Tribunal of 2007 had refused the State’s plea to consider the drinking water needs of Bengaluru, and considered only a third of the city to be part of the Cauvery basin for allocation. That has fundamentally changed in the Friday’s Supreme Court’s verdict. “We are of the considered opinion that the allocation of water for drinking and domestic purposes for the entire city of Bengaluru has to be accounted for,” the Supreme Court order said.
A senior advocate, representing the State in the Supreme Court over Cauvery issues, said the Supreme Court’s acceptance of Bengaluru’s claim over Cauvery had opened another contest, where the State could ask for a rightful share of Cauvery water to meet the city’s drinking water needs.
“The effective allocation of 5.25 tmcft for Bengaluru is also woefully low and this can now be contested,” Mr. Thyagaraja said.
Any additional allocation to Bengaluru in future will reduce diversion of irrigation component of the State, helping farmers.
