SETHI APPEALS KARNATAKA TO HONOUR THE CRA’S INSTRUCTIONS ON RELEASE OF WATER TO TAMIL NADU

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Union Water Resources Minister, Shri Arjun Charan Sethi has urged Karnataka to honour the decision of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) to release water from the Kabini reservoir as agreed by them earlier. He also appealed both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to exercise restraint in the present situations when many parts of the country are facing one of the worst droughts in recent years. He said, after a meeting with Prime Minister here today that both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are undoubtedly facing acute distress on account of the present drought, but they should honour the CRA order on 08.09.2002.

The Supreme Court on 3.9.2002 directed the State of Karnataka to release water from its reservoirs so as to ensure that 1.25 tmc of water is made available in Mettur reservoir of Tamil Nadu everyday. The order of the Court was effective from 4.9.2002 till the decision taken by the CRA.

The Prime Minister, in the capacity of Chairperson of CRA in its emergency meeting held on 8.9.2002 decided that keeping in view the inflows and storages in 4 Karnataka reservoirs and in Mettur as well the requirement of the two States, Karnataka should release water from its reservoirs so as to ensure an inflow of 9000 cusecs at Mettur amounting to about 0.8 tmc accounted on weekly average basis for the months of September and October, 2002. Tamil Nadu, in turn, will ensure proportionate releases to Pondicherry.

The State of Karnataka started releasing water from Kabini reservoirs from midnight of September 4, 2002 in compliance of Supreme Court order. Reportedly, there have been protests and bandhs in the State of Karnataka by farmers organisation and political parties/outfits. The release from Kabini reservoir after some interruption had again been restored by Karnataka in compliance to CRA decision from 14.9.2002 which is again understood to have been suspended on 18.09.2002 due to interruptions by agitators.