State has sought a review of CWMA directive issued at its 58th meeting on Sept 24
Mandya: With Cauvery basin facing severe drought and reservoir levels declining, Karnataka govt has appealed to Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to reduce the prescribed water release to Tamil Nadu from 4,000 cusecs to 2,000 cusecs a day, said water resources minister N Cheluvarayaswamy on Friday. In a statement, he stated that the state has sought a review of CWMA directive issued at its 58th meeting on Sept 24, which mandated the release of 4,000 cusecs daily at Biligundlu for 15 days. Together, the four reservoirs have only about 49 TMC of usable water, which, he said, must be conserved to meet drinking water requirements, maintain environmental flows and account for evaporation losses until June 2027. He noted that 47 taluks in Cauvery basin had been declared drought-hit. Despite the situation, Karnataka had complied with CWMA directions and released 44.21 TMC of water at Biligundlu between June 1 and Sept 30, he noted.
Cheluvarayaswamy said inflows into Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS), Hemavathi, Harangi and Kabini reservoirs had declined sharply following the end of the southwest monsoon.
Meanwhile, former MLA Suresh Gowda launched a strong attack on the minister, alleging that farmers in the region were being denied justice and warning of an indefinite hunger strike if their grievances were not addressed within 10 days. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Mysuru | Silver Rate in Mysuru | Bank Holidays in Mysuru | Public Holidays in Mysuru Stay updated with the latest Mysuru news.
Addressing reporters, Gowda said he was ready to sacrifice his life and face imprisonment in the interests of farmers. He also criticised the administration for failing to complete irrigation works. Download the TOI App.
With the northeast monsoon expected to bring rainfall to Tamil Nadu, the minister urged CWMA to reconsider its directive and reduce the daily release in view of Karnataka’s water scarcity.