Following are the
concluding remarks of the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
at the 6th Meeting of the Cauvery River Authority
here today:
"The State Governments
have made their points. We all know that the country is facing
one of the worst droughts this year and the Cauvery basin has
been no exception. In such a drought year when the available
waters have been very low, the distress situation has to be
shared amongst all the basin States. Accordingly, the existing
reservoirs have to be so regulated that the requirements are
met optimally in both the upper and lower riparian States.
In the last meeting,
we have taken certain decisions and the Supreme Court has also
heard specific prayers of the States and passed interim orders.
In regard to these directions, efforts have been made to release
water from Karnataka reservoirs, but I am informed that at the
end of January 2003, the inflows received in the Mettur have
still been in deficit by about 16.5 TMC.
As per the present
storage available in Karnataka reservoirs, the State may not
be in a position to make good the entire deficit during the
remaining period of Water Year 2002-03. On January 13, 2003
Chief Minister of Karnataka had assured me that he shall ensure
1200 cusec of water for the months of January and February 2003
which amounts to about 6 TMC. Tamil Nadu had requested for releasing
the above quantity immediately in a few days. In pursuance to
these mutual efforts, I am informed that about 3.3 TMC has been
received at Mettur from January 20-28, 2003.
The requirements
in Tamil Nadu are critical and crops need at least one more
wetting. Keeping in view the urgent need of water for standing
crops in Tamil Nadu as also the drinking water requirement in
Karnataka, the Supreme Court has, while hearing an application
of Tamil Nadu, ordered on 6.2.2003 that the State of Karnataka
shall release sufficient water from its reservoirs so as to
ensure an average inflow of 4500 cusec of water per day at Mettur
till a final decision is taken by CRA. Since Tamil Nadu requires
water now it will be appropriate if the same quantity i.e. 4500
cusec on an average is made available at Mettur for another
3 days. Thereafter, the inflows may be ensured by Karnataka
as per the interim order of CWDT. Tamil Nadu will make proportionate
releases to Pondicherry."
