Cauvery row: SC directs Karnataka to release 2000 cusec water from October 7-18

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Karnataka government to release 2,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu from October 7 to 18. Earlier, the apex court had asked Karnataka how much Cauvery water it can release to Tamil Nadu from October 7 to 18.

Karnataka told the court that it will implement order to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu from October 1 to Oct 6.
Earlier on Monday, the Karnataka legislature adopted a unanimous resolution empowering the government to take an “appropriate” decision to provide water for irrigation to meet the state farmers’ demand.

The decision by both the Houses of the legislature at the second such special session in 10 days came on the day when the Supreme Court asked Karnataka government to apprise it by Tuesday afternoon whether it has released water to Tamil Nadu as directed by it on September 30.

Moved by the government, the resolution made no mention about release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu or the Supreme Court orders, but it modified the September 23 resolution to draw water from the four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin only for drinking purpose, to allow its use for irrigation also.

On September 30, the apex court had directed Karnataka to discharge 6,000 cusecs water from October 1-6, warning that no one would know when the “wrath of the law” would fall on it.

In his reply in the Assembly, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave strong indications of complying with the order of the Supreme Court to release water to Tamil Nadu, while assuring the people that government would make all efforts to meet drinking water needs and to save standing crops. Siddaramaiah said the state had never defied the court orders and noted that “we are in a federal set up”.