Cauvery issue: DMK thanks SC for understanding Tamil Nadu's need

The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party on Wednesday thanked the Supreme Court for giving a verdict in favour of Tamil Nadu in connection with the Cauvery water sharing case.

DMK spokesperson T. K. S. Elangovan said, "We are happy that the Supreme Court understands the issue and tried to do justice."

The Supreme Court on yesterday directed Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu from October 7 to October 18.

Karnataka on Tuesday had told the apex court that it will implement the order to release 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu from October 1 to October 6.

Karnataka Counsel Fali Nariman stated that by October 6, Karnataka would have released an aggregate quantity of 36,000 cusecs to its neighbouring state.

On Monday, the Karnataka Assembly in its special session passed the resolution and argued that due to the increase of water in the four reservoirs of the basin from 27.6 tmc to 34.13 tmc, it had decided to use water not only for drinking but farming purposes as well.

On September 23, the state legislature, citing acute shortage of water, had unanimously resolved to reserve waters of the Cauvery River for drinking purpose of the people in the state.

The apex court had on September 30 directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from October 1 till October 6 and asked the CWMB to visit both states and file a report on the "ground realities" by October 6.

The chairman of Central Water Commission, G.S. Jha, will lead a team to survey ground realities and submit a report on October 18, which is the next date of hearing.