Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar Welcomes CWRC Decision To Reduce Cauvery Water Release To Tamil Nadu

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar welcomed the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) decision to reject Tamil Nadu's request for 12,500 cusecs of water daily. The CWRC instead recommended the release of 3,000 cusecs of water daily.

''It is heartening that the Cauvery Water Control Committee (CWRC) has rejected Tamil Nadu's request to release 12,500 cusecs of water daily,'' Shivakumar said.

The CWRC has recommended Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu, commencing from September 28 to October 15, 2023. This amount of water was previously set at 5,000 cusecs. In the 87th meeting of the CWRC held in New Delhi today, both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu presented their cases before the committee.

Karnataka's submission stated that the shortfall in cumulative inflows to the state's four reservoirs up to September 25 was 53.04%. The state government has also declared 161 talukas as severely drought-affected and 34 talukas as moderately drought-affected. Of these, 32 severely drought-affected talukas and 15 moderately drought-affected talukas fall in the Cauvery basin.

Karnataka argued that it is not in a position to release any water from its reservoirs or contribute any flows to the flows to be maintained at the interstate border of Biligundlu.

Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, urged the CWRA to direct Karnataka to release the shortfall quantity immediately and further flows as per the distress proportion. Tamil Nadu also urged the CWRA to direct Karnataka to reduce its irrigation supply based on the distress proportion.