Accusing Karnataka of flouting the principles of federalism and inter-State water-sharing, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday moved the Supreme Court for an urgent directive to the Karnataka government to release 50.052 TMC feet of Cauvery water to irrigate the farmland of Tamil Nadu in the “interest of justice.”
In an application, Tamil Nadu blamed Karnataka for diverting the water meant to be a life-saver for Tamil Nadu farmers during distress years for undeclared projects in violation of the final orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in 2007.
The application, drawn up by advocate G. Umpathy and filed by advocate B. Balaji, contended that it had not received 10 daily/monthly releases of water for the months from June 1 to August 19, 2016, causing a cumulative shortfall of 50.052 TMC feet at Billigundulu.
The State said its letter to Karnataka on July 30, requesting it to make good the shortfall of 22.934 TMC feet, as on July 26, had not received a reply till date.
The application sought the court’s intervention to ensure that Karnataka adhered to the stipulated water releases in accordance with the 2007 order of the Tribunal for the remaining months, starting from August 20, 2016, in the irrigation year of 2016-2017.
It also sought a directive to Karnataka to immediately make good the 25 TMC feet at Billigundulu, of the shortfall of 50 TMC feet, within the next 10 days so as to start the samba cultivation.
