On Friday, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan stated that the Tamil Nadu government would demand 16000 cusecs to be released at the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting in the capital. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on October 11 had directed Karnataka to release 3000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu from October 16 to October 31.
Farmers in Tamil Nadu, who had taken up Samba (long-duration) paddy crop in anticipation that water Cauvery would be released, are now facing a poor yield. With water in the Mettur reservoir also reducing, farmers who had taken Kuruvai crop (short-term) cultivation are also facing yield issues. On answering whether water could be released from the Mettur reservoir, Duraimurgan said, “There is hardly 10 TMC water in the reservoir. So, we can’t release water. Though the catchment areas are receiving rain we have to wait and see if the situation will improve.”
He added, “Till October 11, Tamil Nadu received 4.21 tmc of water. Karnataka has been releasing whatever CWRC and CWMA directed so far. But we will be placing our demand before the CWMA meeting on Friday.”
Post CWRC’s October 11 directive, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also holds the water resources portfolio, stated, “We currently have an inflow of about 8,000-9,000 cusecs of water (in state reservoirs). But we have to protect the interests of our farmers. We will move the Supreme Court to challenge this direction by the CWRC. We will face difficulties complying with this direction as several parts of the state are grappling with drought-like conditions.”
The Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution against the Karnataka government on October 9 over the Cauvery water dispute. While talking about the resolution, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had said, “In order to protect the livelihood of the Cauvery delta farmers, who are the basis for Tamil Nadu Agriculture this August House unanimously urges the union Government to direct the Karnataka Government to release water to Tamil Nadu as per the direction of the Cauvery Water Management Authority.” The resolution adopted by the TN Assembly has been sent to the Centre.