Karnataka told to release 31.24 tmc Cauvery water to TN for July

CHENNAI: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Friday directed the Karnataka government to release 31.24 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu for July as per the Supreme Court's direction.

Secretary of Water Resource Department J Jayakanthan and Cauvery IT Cell R Subramanian attended the hybrid meeting chaired by CWMA's chairperson SK Haidar. During the meeting, the officials urged the CWMA to direct the upper riparian state to release 31.24 TMC of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu for the next month.

Citing the Indian Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast, the Tamil Nadu officials informed the CWMA chairperson that a slightly above normal southwest monsoon is anticipated for this year. Apart from this, there are substantial inflows and present water storage levels in reservoirs upstream of the Cauvery in Karnataka, they said. Hence, the Karnataka government should comply with the Supreme Court order and release Cauvery water as per the stipulated quantity for July, they added.

They have also informed the authority that the Mettur dam has been opened for irrigation on July 12. As of June 25, the water level in the reservoir stands at 84.22 TMC, and 21,878 cusecs of water are being released downstream for irrigation to the delta region, where farmers are actively involved in agricultural activities.