SC to hear Tamil Nadu govt's plea on Cauvery water release

The Supreme Court will on Friday hear the Tamil Nadu government's plea for an urgent judicial direction to the Karnataka government to release 50.052 tmcft of Cauvery water from its reservoirs to feed the agricultural lands of Tamil Nadu.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices A M Kanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud fixed the date of hearing on a mention made by senior counsel Shekar Naphade for urgent listing of the application in which the state also sought an interim direction to Karnataka to release 25 tmcft of water forthwith to enable the farmers in the state to raise the Samba crop.

Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah informed that the Tamil Nadu Government in their application filed before the Supreme Court had made a prayer that the court should direct the Government of Karnataka to release 50 tmcf (thousand million cubic feet) of water according to the normal year.

He said Karnataka is facing a severe distressed year and both states should share the Cauvery waters according to the distress pro rata basis.

The livelihood of more than 40 lakh population would be affected if the agricultural operations are not commenced immediately.

Any delay in commencement of the operation would result in the samba crop being affected by the vagaries of North East Monsoon.