Cauvery water dispute: Karnataka government files plea in Supreme Court for reconsideration of directions by CWMA

New Delhi: The Karnataka government, in a fresh plea, urged the Supreme Court to direct the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to reconsider its orders on the release of Cauvery river water, as those directions are perverse and liable to be declared illegal.

The plea said this water year of 2023-24 has begun on a bad note and the South-West Monsoon which feeds the catchment in Karnataka has failed miserably.

The Karnataka government stated that the cumulative inflows into Karnataka's four reservoirs from June 01, 2023, to September 18, 2023, are 110.875 TMC, whereas the average of the last 30 years has been 238.055 TMC. "Therefore, even at the reservoir level itself, which covers a part of the catchment, the shortfall is 53.42 per cent. If the shortfall is considered up to the interstate border, Biligundlu, where flows are accountable, shortfall and distress would be much more than 53.42 per cent," it said.

The state government said it has ensured 19,404 cusecs more than what the CWMA had ordered in its previous three directions and sought a direction for reconsideration of the September 18 order for the release of 5,000 cusecs of water up to September 27 as unjust. The state government urged the apex court to remand the matter back to the CWMA and Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority.

The state government said some of the questions that CWMA has failed to decide are: “Whether distress in the Cauvery basin can be assessed only on the basis of inflows into four reservoirs in the State of Karnataka since the said four reservoirs cover only a small catchment of 12,761 sq. km, against the catchment up to the interstate border Biligundlu which cover 36,682 sq.km. and the catchment of the whole basin up to Lower Coleroon Anicut in the State of Tamil Nadu which cover 81, 155 sq.km.?“

It said, “ Whether, the State of Karnataka can be directed to ensure water without assessing its minimum requirement for crops, drinking water including drinking water of Bangalore city in times of drought?

It asked, “Whether the State of Tamil Nadu should be penalized for injudicious use of water as communicated by the representative of the Union of India in the 23rd meeting held on 29.08.2023?”

Also, intervention applications have been filed by Vivek Subba Reddy, senior advocate, and other resident associations of Bengaluru namely Sankey Udaynavana Nadigegarara Sangha seeking preservation of Cauvery water for the city in accordance with the projected requirement as it is the economic hub.