Chennai, Oct 9: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution urging the Centre to direct Karnataka to release water from the Cauvery river to the state as per the directions of the Supreme Court.
The resolution was declared passed unanimously by Speaker M Appavu after the main opposition AIADMK supported it following a debate and after the BJP legislators staged a walkout. The Saffron party wanted amendments to the resolution, pledging support to nationalisation of rivers and the Dam Safety Act.
Chief Minister M K Stalin moved the resolution and said the state government opened the Mettur dam on June 12 for the Kuruvai (short-duration paddy) crop and at a time when farmers had taken up related farm work, Karnataka created an “artificial crisis” and did not release water from the river as per the apex court’s directions.
In June, only 2.833 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of water was realised as against 9.19 tmc at the Biligundlu point on the inter-state border.
Several steps were taken to get Karnataka to release water. It includes approaching the Central government, the Supreme Court, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).
Stalin said on September 19, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan led a delegation of Tamil Nadu MPs and called on Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and submitted a memorandum seeking 12,500 cusecs for 15 days.
However, the Centre did not take any action on the representation.
In the meanwhile, Karnataka filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking a direction to CWMA to review its decisions on water release to Tamil Nadu. On September 29, the CWMA directed Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu.
As the water realisation at Biligundlu is less than the stipulated quantum, the Tamil Nadu government wrote to CWMA on October 6 underscoring that Karnataka has not complied with its direction and sought appropriate action.
Now, the CWRC is set to hold its next meeting on October 11. In this meeting, the state would urge the Committee to direct Karnataka to release water to make good the shortfall in addition to water release for the next 10 to 15 days. At Biligundlu, 46.1 tmc water has been realised from June 1, 2023 to October 3, 2023.
There is a necessity to protect the Kuruvai crop and the next crop Samba (long term-paddy) by getting Cauvery water. Stalin said Cauvery water is very essential for the state and the government is determined to secure it.
“The Union government should get the Cauvery water for the Tamil Nadu people by properly functioning on the matter.” The Chief Minister read out an improvised version of the resolution. (PTI)
