In Karnataka, following the committee order, protests have been intensified in Mandya. The Cauvery Supervisory Committee met in New Delhi to decide on the quantum of water to be released.
The Cauvery Supervisory Committee chief Shashishekar addressed the press after their meeting and announced that after considering all the points put forth by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, it was decided that Karnataka should release 3,000 cusecs (2.72 tmc) of water from September 21 to September 30 to Tamil Nadu.
Shashishekar also said that if the states have any grievances they can approach the Supreme Court against its order.
He said the report would not be submitted to the Supreme Court. “The SC had asked us to conduct the meeting, we have complied with its direction, beyond that we have no remit,” said Shashishekar.
The Cauvery Supervisory Committee is not associated with the Supreme Court. It functions directly through the Centre.
In Karnataka, following the committee order, protests have been intensified in Mandya.
Madegowda, a leader of farmers in Mandya, alleged that since Karnataka did not have adequate drinking water, the state's need was more severe than Tamil Nadu, which has been demanding water for agricultural purposes.
Meanwhile, Opposition leaders including BS Yeddyurappa, HD Kumaraswamy and KS Eshwarappa have urged Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah not refuse to release any water to Tamil Nadu.
The Cauvery Supervisory Committee met in New Delhi to decide on the quantum of the river water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states by Karnataka.
The supervisory committee, in its previous meeting on September 12, had failed to arrive at any decision for want of adequate information which was to be made available by the river basin states. It had asked them to provide the information by September 15.
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had submitted to the committee data about the withdrawal of water, its utilisation, variation in rainfall and its impact on the actual run-off over a period of 29 years in their respective Cauvery basin areas, according to a source.
Karnataka’s arguments before the Cauvery Supervisory Committee meeting
• Entire Cauvery basin is spread across 34,273 square km. Of this, two-thirds is drought-hit
• Of the total Cauvery basin present in Tamil Nadu, only one-third of the land is drought-hit
• Cauvery River is the only source of water to conduct agricultural activities in the drought-hit areas of Karnataka
• Groundwater in the Cauvery basin has considerably reduced whereas the groundwater in Tamil Nadu is good
• It is end of the rainy season in Karnataka, but rains have just started in Tamil Nadu
• Water has already been supplied from dams in Tamil Nadu for agricultural activities, so they do not need additional water supply from the Cauvery River
