Cauvery water management body directs Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu

NEW DELHI: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) recommendation directing Karnataka to ensure a flow of 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

The decision was taken at the 57th meeting of the CWMA held in Delhi under the chairmanship of S K Haldar. Officials from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka participated in the meeting. Earlier in the day, the CWRC had recommended that Karnataka release water to Tamil Nadu at a rate of 6,000 cusecs for the next 15 days.

This follows the CWMA's earlier order on August 25 when, upholding the CWRC's recommendation, it had directed Karnataka to ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

The meeting was held following the Supreme Court's direction to the Tamil Nadu government a day earlier to raise before the CWMA its grievance over the release of its proportionate share of Cauvery water by Karnataka.

At its 141st meeting on August 24, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release water from its reservoirs and ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs at the Biligundulu border point.

The flow had to be maintained continuously for 15 days, during which Tamil Nadu was expected to receive approximately 11.66 TMC of water.

The release is expected to benefit Kuruvai cultivation and meet Tamil Nadu's drinking water requirements.

Earlier, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12. The CWMA had subsequently upheld that decision.