The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on Monday decided that Karnataka, the upper riparian State, should ensure the realisation of 2,600 cubic feet per second (cusecs) for Tamil Nadu, the lower riparian State, from November 1 to 23.
This was the outcome of the CWRC’s meeting held in New Delhi and attended by participants virtually. “The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) will meet on Friday [to ratify the decision of the Committee],” Vineet Gupta, CWRC chairman, told The Hindu on Monday evening over the phone. Biligundulu, on the inter-State border, remains the point of measurement for realisation.
Asked whether Karnataka agreed with the committee’s stipulation, Mr. Gupta replied that “this has been decided at the meeting.” Since September 27, the quantum prescribed by oversight bodies for the Cauvery dispute was 3,000 cusecs. Prior to that, it was 5,000 cusecs.
During the day’s deliberations, Tamil Nadu sought 16 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) as it had contended that there was a shortfall of 13 tmc ft during June 1 to October 27 with the remaining 3 tmc ft for the next fortnight (November 1-15). But, the CWRC did not take into account the shortfall, while deciding the quantum of release, said a participant. The CWRC’s decision would mean that Tamil Nadu would get 5.16 tmc ft over November’s three weeks. During October, the lower riparian State realised 12.5 tmc ft against the normal quota of 19.5 tmc ft.
Read also: The Cauvery conundrum
On Monday morning, the level of the Mettur dam, the lifeline of the Cauvery delta, stood at 54.83 ft (full level: 120 ft) with the storage being 18.984 tmc ft (capacity: 93.47 tmc ft). Inflow was about 3,400 cusecs while the discharge through the canal was around 500 cusecs. No water was being released through the river for irrigation in view of the poor storage.
