TN to go to Supreme Court on Cauvery, says Karnataka has changed its stand

PTI, Aug 12, 2023, 8:30 AM IST

Mettur Dam (Source: PTI / File)

Tamil Nadu has no other option but to approach the Supreme Court to get Cauvery water, the state government asserted on Friday and said Karnataka has changed its stand and has come forward to release only a reduced quantum of 8,000 cusecs.

Referring to the Cauvery Water Management Authority meet deliberations on Friday in Delhi, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said the requirement for Cauvery water was emphatically put forth by state officials during the over 3-hour discussions.

”However, Karnataka as usual changed its stand and categorically said that it could only release 8,000 cusecs and that too only till August 22.”

The Minister underlined that on August 10, in the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee meeting it was unanimously decided that 15,000 cusecs per day would be released by Karnataka for 15 days to Tamil Nadu. The meet was held following persuasion by Tamil Nadu.

”Hence, the Tamil Nadu government has no other option but to approach the Supreme Court. Soon, a case will be filed in the apex court. Justice will win and we will get water and the Chief Minister M K Stalin-led government is determined to get water,” he said.

The combined storage capacity of the four dams in Karnataka is 114.571 tmc ft of water and it has 93.535 tmc storage, which is about 82 per cent, the Minister pointed out.

In a statement, Duraimurugan alleged Karnataka does not ‘have a heart’ to share water with Tamil Nadu though it has water and this has been the stance of the Karnataka government ever since the Cauvery dispute arose decades ago.

Karnataka is not concerned even if the standing crops (Kuruvai, short-term paddy crop) are going to wilt, he alleged.