CHENNAI: Karnataka on Wednesday declined Tamil Nadu's request to release Cauvery water in accordance with the Supreme Court's final award, citing deficient rainfall and drought-like conditions, particularly in Bengaluru.
The issue came up at the 53rd meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of SK Haldar.
During the meeting, Tamil Nadu's representative and Water Resources Department principal secretary Satyabrata Sahu urged Karnataka to release water as per the monthly schedule fixed by the Supreme Court.
Sahu said Tamil Nadu had received only 3.442 TMC of water from Karnataka between June 1 and July 19, against its allocated share of 28.337 TMC, amounting to only 12.15% of the scheduled release.
"Karnataka has yet to release 24.896 TMC of water due to Tamil Nadu," he told the Authority.
Presenting the storage position, Sahu said the combined storage in Karnataka's four Cauvery basin reservoirs stood at 48.979 TMC, with an inflow of 31.626 TMC, compared with the 30-year average storage of 81.528 TMC, amounting to 38.79%.
He also informed the authority that the storage in the Mettur dam stood at 36.979 TMC and that 1,003 cusecs of water was being released mainly to meet drinking water requirements.
Karnataka’s representative maintained that the State was unable to release water because of inadequate rainfall and drought conditions, particularly in Bengaluru.
The issue will be reviewed at the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee meeting on July 28.