Supreme Court directs Karnataka to release 6000 cusecs of water daily to TN till Sept 27

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Karnataka government to release 6000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu from tomorrow till September 27, the next date of hearing.

The Supreme Court also directed the Centre to constitute a Cauvery management board within four weeks and notify the same.

The ruling came a day after the Cauvery Supervisory Committee ordered Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water from the river to Tamil Nadu daily between September 21 and 30.

The Supreme Court also allowed both states, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to file their objections to Cauvery supervisory committee report within three days.

Senior advocate Fali S. Nariman, who is arguing Karnataka's case in the Supreme Court said, "We will have to sacrifice our drinking water for irrigation purposes in Tamil Nadu."

In reply Senior advocate Shekhar Naphde, who is arguing on behalf of Tamil Nadu government said, "There is no such crises of drinking water in Bengaluru as Karnataka is claiming."

Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand appeared in the court to represent the Government of India.

Earlier during the day, in Tamil Nadu, water from Mettur Dam for delta irrigation was released.

Overruling differences between the two states, the Cauvery Supervisory Committee had ordered Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs water per day to Tamil Nadu between September 21 and September 30.

Despite day-long discussions, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu failed to reach an agreement on the quantum of water to be released.

Union Water Resources Secretary and Chairman of the committee Shashi Shekhar asked Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu from September 21 to 30.

As per Supreme Court orders Karnataka has to release 12000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu .

More than 5000 cusecs of water will be released from Mettur Dam for delta irrigation and this will be raised up to 15,000 cusecs as per the need of delta farmers.

The water released from Mettur will first reach Upper Anaicatu Mukombu in Tiruchirapalli and from there to Grand Anaicutu Kallanai by weekend.

From Kallanai, water will be released for samba crops in delta districts of Thanjavur, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur.

This year release of water from Mettur has been considerably delayed due to shortage of water in Cauvery.

Delta farmers hope that north east monsoon will start by third week of next month to save samba crops.