Cauvery Row: Keep the water flowing, 2000 cusecs a day, to Tamil Nadu, SC tells Karnataka

The Cauvery Technical Committee, meanwhile, has reported to the court that while the water situation in both states is grim, Mandya in Karnataka is the worst-affected

The Supreme Court today directed Karnataka to keep 2,000 cusecs of water flowing daily to Tamil Nadu until it decided on the maintainability of the appeals filed by both parties to the dispute, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Both states had challenged the 2007 final award of the Cauvery Waters Tribunal. The three-judge bench, comprising Justices Dipak Mishra, Amitava Roy and Khanwilkar, adjourned hearing on the matter to Wednesday..

The bench, however, took serious note of the protests and violence on the Cauvery issue. It said both states must ensure that law and order is maintained. Citizens of the two states must show mutual respect, the bench observed.

The tribunal, in its final award, had determined the usable quantum of water from the Cauvery at 740 tmc-ft. Karnataka is entitled to 270 tmc-ft, Tamil Nadu to 419 tmc-ft, Kerala 30 tmc-ft, Puducherry 7 tmc-ft, and 14 tmc-ft is meant for environmental purposes, the tribunal had said.

The Bench will also go into the report filed by the technical committee on the water situation in the two states on Monday. The committee had said that the situation is grim in both states. It, however, said that Mandya in Karnataka was the worst-hit and had reported several suicides. Karnataka will also argue against the constitution of a Cauvery Management Board (CMB). Tamil Nadu is, however, in favour of formation of the board. The Centre, meanwhile, has said that whether to form the CMB or not is the call of the legislature, not the judiciary.

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