Karnataka to gain 14 tmc ft by releasing water at Biligundlu

New Delhi, Feb 6 (UNI) Karnataka would gain an average of 14 tmc ft of water annually after the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) shifted the reservoir to measure the release of water from Mettur in Tamil Nadu to Biligundlu.

The upper riparian state would gain despite releasing 192 tmc ft of water to down stream states.

If one would observe the month-wise data on water gauged flows at Biligundlu by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border and at Mettur reservoir ever since the CWDT was appointed in June 1991, the fact could be substantiated.

The Tribunal in its final order yesterday, shifted the water delivery point to Biligundlu from Mettur while asking Karnataka to release 192 tmc ft of water and also prescribing a monthly schedule divided into 10 days by a Regulatory Authority headed by an official of the CWC not less than the rank of a Suprintending Engineer.

The discrepency in the figures of flow of water at Biligundlu and Mettur have been a constant point of friction between the two major basin states at the Cauvery River Authority meetings chaired by Prime Minister with Chief Ministers of the four riparian states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

In 2006-07 the releases measured at Biligundlu was 242 tmc while Mettur recorded a flow of 227 tmc ft. Similarly in 1994-95 the flows measured at Biligundlu was 394 tmc ft while Mettur acknowledged a receipt of 373 tmc. However, the figures of 2005-06 seem to be an exception because the water flows at Biligundlu was 383 tmc as against the flows of 401 tmc ft recorded at Mettur.

Asked for his reaction Mr Mohan Katarki, Counsel for Karnataka at the CWDT said Karnataka always wanted water release to be at Biligundlu because the state had apprehensions of 'underestimation' of flows at Mettur reservoir to the extent of 47 tmc ft. The Interim Award had placed a burden of ensuring 227 tmc at Biligundlu, he remarked.

The final order of the Tribunal had recognised the need for irrigating 18.5 lakh acres in Karnataka and 24.71 lakh acres in Tamil Nadu. Karnataka was barred from extending its irrigation beyond 11.2 lakh acres by the Interim Order of the Tribunal but now this restriction was off. The state can also keep the surplus water to itself after releasing the prescribed quantum to the down stream state.

As far as Tamil Nadu was concerned, it gets a lion's share of 419 tmc in the 740 tmc ft of water available. Also, 20 tmc ft of ground water usage, available in the delta region, will not be counted as drawal from Cauvery basin. It gets an inflow of 192 tmc ft at Biligundlu plus 25 tmc ft of water in Tamil Nadu above Mettur.

However, they have to part with 9 tmc ft of water at Pambar and Bhavani Sub-basins and one extra tmc of water to Puducherry.

Mr Katarki claimed although the total allocation of water was 270 tmc ft by the CWDT at 50 per cent dependability on the basin, there was no restrictions placed on the unrestricted use of surplus water that is water above 50 per cent dependability at the inter-state border.

He said the total requirement of Karnataka was about 310 tmc to irrigate 23.83 lakh acres of crop area under the existing and ongoing projects. The state's assessment was 8.3 lakh acres of rice crop required 186 tmc ft but 160 tmc ft of water should be reasonably sufficient at the rate of 5000 acres per tmc.

The perennial crops in one lakh acres required another 34 tmc ft and 8.71 lakh acres of Kharif and 5.82 lakh acres of Rabi (semi dry crops) required another 52 tmc ft and 41.5 tmc ft respectively. The drinking water requirement was to the extent of 28 tmc ft.

UNI