Technical team on field visit of Cauvery basin from Mandya

A high-level central technical team today began its nine-day field visit of the Cauvery basin from Mandya district of Karnataka to assess ground realities and "distribute water in a judicious manner" between the state and Tamil Nadu.
"The team's aim is to distribute water between the two states in a judicious manner. We will be visiting the entire command within the shortest possible time," Central Water Commission Chairman G S Jha, who is heading the team, told reporters after a meeting with the officials of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry governments.
Karnataka Water Resources Minister M B Patil also attended the meeting and gave a power-point presentation, highlighting the distress situation in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka, saying the state is expected to fall short of 20 tmcft of water this year.

The team has been set up by the Supreme Court to assess ground realities of the Cauvery basin in the two states which have locked horns over the release of river water.
"The team first visited Maddur town in Mandya to asses the situation," a senior government official told PTI.
The committee is scheduled to visit K R Pet tomorrow morning and inspect Hemavathi dam to asses the water reserve. It will then leave for Tamil Nadu to see Mettur dam in the evening, the official said.

The team, which also comprises CWC member Syed Masood Hussain, its chief engineer R K Gupta and chief engineer-rank representatives of the states, will assess water availability in the basin area and crop situation in the wake of drought.

The panel will also tour Kerala and Puducherry before concluding its visit on October 15.
Jha said after studying the situation in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka, the team would place the existing ground realities before the Supreme Court.
"The minister (Patil) also submitted a memorandum and we would consider the same," he said, adding it highlights issues such as poor rainfall, damaged crops situation, drinking water need for towns, cities and villages in the Cauvery region in Karnataka.
Patil said Tamil Nadu was better placed than Karnataka in view of the probable normal North-East monsoon.
Meanwhile, DMK treasurer and leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu M K Stalin led hundreds of party workers in observing a fast in Thanjavur to condemn the Centre's stand on setting up of the Cauvery Water Management Board.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu have accused the Centre of "betraying" the state by seeking modification of a Supreme Court order asking it to constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB).
The ruling AIADMK and Opposition DMK have alleged that the NDA government made the move with an eye on the Karnataka Assembly polls, scheduled in 2018.
Stalin said DMK would lead an all party delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, if needed, also meet President Pranab Mukherjee on the issue.