Can't release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu until year end: Karnataka to SC

Karnataka said the 42,000 cusecs water should be treated as ‘arrears’ and can be released by the end of December.

New Delhi: Two days after passing a unanimous resolution in the Legislature on reserving water for drinking, Karnataka on Monday told the Supreme Court that it would not be able to release Cauvery water to neighbour Tamil Nadu until the year end.

The apex court had directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for seven days till tomorrow.

Urging the court to modify its order, Karnataka said that the water, which comes to 42,000 cusecs, should be treated as "arrears" and can be released by the end of December.

After the SC verdict, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said, “This is an unimplementable order.” The order overturned the Cauvery Supervisory Committee directive, which had specified only 3,000 cusecs to be released for ten days between September 21 to 27.

The total quantum of water as specified by the Cauvery Supervisory Committee order would have seen Karnataka release 30,000 cusecs of water for ten days. Instead, with the Apex Court order, the water released to Tamil Nadu was increased to 42,000 cusecs of water.

(This story first appeared in Deccan Chronicle)