184 cusecs trickling into Mettur

Though the Karnataka government claimed that it would release 2,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as per the Supreme Court’s last directive on October 18, there was no sign of that level of quantum flowing at the zero point at Billiguntlu, according to sources. 

Public Works Department (Water Resources Department), officials said that the inflow was 184 cusecs as per Thursday evening reading and the level at the Stanley reservoir stood at 49.130 feet. Expressing concern over the declining storage, officials said that they would be forced to reduce the discharge drastically for Delta irrigation in the coming days, said PWD engineers, adding that they also have to meet the drinking water requirements. 

According to officials, the Supreme Court directed Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu on October 18 and the neighbour also assured to follow the directive. But, there was no much flow at the zero point and subsequent increase in the dam level too. “It is almost 10 days, since the Court directed Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu. We have not received any communication from the Biligundlu point about the level and the inflow to Mettur was merely 97 cusecs on Thursday morning. There was a very meagre increase in the inflow which rose to 184 cusecs. This rise is only due to rains in the catchment areas,” said a Mettur engineer. He also added that the discharge may be reduced in the next few days itself as the storage was going down fast. 

Meanwhile, there were reports in some sections of the media that Karnataka had again opened its dams for Tamil Nadu on Wednesday night. However, a senior engineer at Biligundlu told this newspaper “if Karnataka has released water, it will be realised at the zero point either by Thursday night or Friday morning and as of now, there is no sign of increase in the flow at Billiguntlu.”

The engineer also added that the flow at zero point was around 400 cusecs only. When asked whether they received any communication from the Karnataka irrigation department about the release, the engineer replied in the negative. 

At a time when the samba crop needs water, Karnataka’s adamancy and the dwindling storage at the Mettur dam has caused serious concern among the delta farmers. 

“The standing samba crops have already started withering in many places in the Delta region. We have lost hopes that Karnataka will release water. The crops are lost. So, we want compensation from the government,” said secretary Swamimalai S. Vimalnathan, Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Association secretary. 

He added that the Tamil Nadu government should file a case again against Karnataka government. Adding to the pain of the ryots, the north-east monsoon is also playing an elusive game. In fact, when Karnataka was releasing water earlier, a majority of the farmers pinned their hopes on the monsoon to somehow save the crop. Now, with the monsoon getting delayed, the samba growers have lost all hopes.