Cauvery management authority asks Karnataka to release 40.43 tmcft water to Tamil Nadu

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday asked Karnataka to release nearly 40.43 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) water to Tamil Nadu for the months of June and July, sources said.

The decision is, however, subject to review depending on the rainfall received in Cauvery basin and the status of water storage in the four reservoirs in Karnataka.

According to the monthly schedule fixed by the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, the quantum to be released by Karnataka from Biligundlu site is 9.19 tmcft and 31.24 tmcft for June and July, respectively.

The decision was taken by the CWMA in a meeting which was attended by representatives of the Centre and the riparian States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry.

The existing arrangement between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will continue.

Several parts of Tamil Nadu are grappling with acute water shortage. The Centre had last month issued a drought advisory to the State in the backdrop of depleting water levels in its reservoirs.

“The water will be released assuming that monsoon will be normal. The release of water will be reviewed looking at the quantum of rainfall in the Cauvery basin,” an official said.