Bengaluru, July 28: Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy announced on Tuesday that the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has instructed the state to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days. The final decision will be made after discussions with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Reddy explained that during a meeting regarding Cauvery water management, the CWRC mandated Karnataka to supply water to Tamil Nadu. He stated, “We require approximately 6 TMC of water ourselves. We also have the option to appeal against this order before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). A final decision will be taken after consulting with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.”
Reddy highlighted that Karnataka is facing a severe water crisis due to a weak southwest monsoon. The state government’s top priority is to ensure adequate drinking water supply for the population throughout the year.
He remarked, “We have not received sufficient rainfall. Our focus is on providing drinking water for the people year-round.”
According to government officials, water levels in the reservoirs of the Cauvery basin are currently alarmingly low. The Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam, which has a total capacity of about 46 TMC, currently holds only around 16 TMC of water, with approximately 5 TMC classified as ‘dead storage’ and unusable.
In light of the water crisis, the state government has already advised farmers against planting water-intensive crops that depend heavily on the KRS reservoir. The government is working on a strategy to conserve available water primarily for drinking purposes, especially as forecasts indicate low chances of good rainfall in the coming weeks.
The Cauvery River is a major source of drinking water for Bengaluru, as well as for Mysuru and Mandya. The state government is strategizing to maintain the available water reserves until March or April of the following year.
Typically, the KRS reservoir receives an inflow of 3,000 to 4,000 cusecs of water during the monsoon season; however, currently, only about 600 cusecs is arriving. Consequently, releasing water to Tamil Nadu poses a significant challenge for Karnataka in maintaining Bengaluru’s drinking water supply during the summer months.
Following the CWRC’s directive, concerns have escalated in Karnataka. The state government is considering legal options and may soon decide to file an appeal against the order in the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to protect drinking water interests.
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