Cauvery Water Management Authority directs Karnataka to release water due to TN for June, July

CHENNAI: The 12th meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Friday directed Karnataka to release Cauvery water due to Tamil Nadu for the months of June and July in accordance with the monthly schedule fixed by the Supreme Court. Karnataka has to release 9.19 tmcft for June and 31.24 tmcft of water for July.

The Tamil Nadu delegation led by PWD Secretary Sandeep Saxena strongly objected to the attempts of Karnataka to build a dam at Mekedatu across the Cauvery river and urged the CWMA not to permit Karnataka to carry out any preliminary works for this project as cases in this regard are pending before the Supreme Court.

Discussions on this project were not taken up on Friday following a strong protest from Tamil Nadu. The CWMA also decided that the Salem Sarabanga Lift Irrigation Project and Cauvery-Gundar river linking project can be taken up for discussion later.

A couple of weeks ago, Chief Minister MK Stalin urged the Centre to ensure release of Cauvery water as per the monthly schedule fixed by the SC so that the Kuruvai crops in the delta districts would get water for cultivation in time.