New Delhi, 24 August (H.S.): The Supreme Court, while hearing the Cauvery water dispute, on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to place before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) its demand that Karnataka release the state’s proportionate share of water. A bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath passed the direction. The matter will be heard next on August 31.

Earlier, the Court had directed the Karnataka government to comply with the directions issued by the Cauvery Water Management Authority and release water for Tamil Nadu. It had also asked the CWMA to submit a fresh status report.

During Monday’s hearing, the Tamil Nadu government submitted that it had not received its proportionate share of water from Karnataka. The Court, however, observed that Tamil Nadu had received water in excess of the quantity allocated to it.

The Tamil Nadu government then submitted that the CWMA had not directed the release of water to the state in accordance with its requirement for a proportionate share. The Supreme Court consequently directed Tamil Nadu to raise the issue before the CWMA.

During an earlier hearing, senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing for Tamil Nadu, had submitted that Karnataka was not releasing water in accordance with the directions of the CWMA, resulting in inadequate water availability for farmers in Tamil Nadu. He had said that under the award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, Tamil Nadu was supposed to have received 64 TMC of water by that stage, but had received only 14 TMC.

Senior advocate Shyam Diwan, appearing for Karnataka, had opposed Tamil Nadu’s allegations, submitting that Karnataka itself was facing an acute water shortage in the Cauvery basin. He said the CWMA had taken the prevailing situation into account while issuing its directions.

Diwan had further submitted that the CWMA had initially directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water for the first 15 days and that Karnataka had not only complied with the direction but had released more water than stipulated.

On August 3, the Tamil Nadu government had approached the Supreme Court, alleging that Karnataka was not releasing the stipulated quantity of water despite the CWMA’s directions. The petition stated that Karnataka had adequate water in its reservoirs but was still not releasing Tamil Nadu’s rightful share. Tamil Nadu had urged the Supreme Court to intervene and ensure the time-bound release of water.

The dispute follows a meeting of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee held on July 28, where prevailing weather and water conditions were reviewed. Following the meeting, the committee directed Karnataka to release water from the Krishnaraja Sagara and Kabini reservoirs to ensure the availability of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu between July 29 and August 12.

The decision was subsequently approved at the 54th emergency meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority held on July 30.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar