The state condemned Karnataka's refusal to release Cauvery water as directed by the CWRC, the CWDT and the Supreme Court.
Published Jul 16, 2024 | 3:37 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 16, 2024 | 3:37 PM
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, in the Assembly on Monday, 9 October, 2023, discusses a resolution on urging the Union government to direct Karnataka to release Cauvery water. (CMOTamilnadu/X)
A meeting of legislative party leaders in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday, 16 July, passed three resolutions over the neighbouring Karnataka government not releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as directed by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).
In its first resolution, the state condemned Karnataka’s refusal to release Cauvery water as directed by the CWRC, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), and the Supreme Court.
“It is unacceptable to agree with the terms of the Cauvery water release from Karnataka,” Chief Minister MK Stalin said.
Further, the state Assembly passed two more resolutions in this regard.
In a resolution, the chief minister urged the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to immediately direct Karnataka to release the water owed to Tamil Nadu.
The state Assembly also passed a resolution to move the Supreme Court, if necessary, to secure the release of Cauvery water from Karnataka.
Stalin highlighted that the shortfall in water release this year significantly jeopardised the cultivation of the Kuruvai crop, a crucial short-term crop for farmers in the Cauvery delta region.
Since the growth of the crop depends on Cauvery water, he urged the Union government to recognise the issue.
Meanwhile, scores of farmers besides members of the Left parties staged a rail-roko agitation at Thiruthuraipoondi in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvarur district demanding that Karnataka release Cauvery water and help sustain agriculture in the state.
The protest was also to urge the Union government to immediately intervene and ensure that Tamil Nadu received its due share of Cauvery water.
A protest was also held in front of the Karnataka Bank in Tiruchirappalli demanding the Karnataka government to immediately release water.
Workers of the CPI and CPI(M) who held a rail-roko agitation condemning the Karnataka government, sat on the railway track raising slogans against the neighbouring state’s government. Police who rushed to the spot removed the agitators from the track.
On Monday, Stalin condemned Karnataka for not releasing full water.
He also announced an all-party meeting on Tuesday to decide the future course of action in the inter-state river dispute.
As of 15 July, 2024, while the total storage in the four main dams of Karnataka is 75.586 TMC ft, the water level in Tamil Nadu’s Mettur reservoir is a mere 13.808 TMC ft, he said in a statement in Chennai.
On Sunday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state government was ready to release 8,000 cusecs of water from the Cauvery River every day to Tamil Nadu instead of the one TMC ft till the end of this month, as directed by the CWRC.
There is only 63 percent water in the Cauvery basin dams and in this situation, the state was not in a position to release one TMC water each day, Siddaramiah told reporters in Bengaluru.
Siddarmaaiah said all the parties in Karnataka were unanimous that they should appeal to the CWMA stating that releasing one TMC water was not possible.
(With inputs from PTI, K Nitika Shivani)
(South First is now on WhatsApp and Telegram)
