Karnataka pleads before SC: Can't release Cauvery water to TN till December

The Karnataka government on Monday reportedly told the Supreme Court that additional Cauvery river water can be released to Tamil Nadu only in December because the state's major cities were on the verge of running out of drinking water.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government moved the Supreme Court seeking modification of the September 20 order, asking it to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu till September 27, on the ground that its reservoirs do not have sufficient water.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra had on September 20 directed Karnataka to release Cauvery water while raising the quantum fixed by the Supervisory Committee by 3,000 cusecs.

Karnataka, in its fresh plea, had expressed inability to implement the apex court order on various grounds including the fact that it does not have adequate water to supply to its cities including Bengaluru.

The apex court had on September 20 also directed the Centre to constitute within four weeks the Cauvery Water Management Board as directed by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in its award.

On September 12, the apex court had asked both the states to ensure that "law and order" prevails.

It had modified its earlier order on sharing of Cauvery water and directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs instead of 15,000 cusecs per day till September 20 to Tamil Nadu.

The Apex court bench was also critical of the language used in the plea of Karnataka seeking to keep in abeyance the September 5 order asking it to release 15,000 cusecs water per day to Tamil Nadu.

Siddaramaiah, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, informed him about the resolution passed by the state legislature, and that the government would be approaching the Supreme Court seeking modification of the interim order in such a way that it permits Karnataka "to account water for water before the end of the season in January 2017 instead of accounting on 27.09.2016 as directed in the interim order".

Representative Image: PTI Photo