Government says no water, but Cauvery spills out

Express News

Bangalore/Mysore, 28 October 2010: Even as the state government turned down Tamil Nadu’s demand for release of Cauvery water to Mettur dam, irrigation officials at Krishnaraja Sagar Dam near Mysore released 6,000 cusecs of water citing an increased inflow into the reservoir.

 

 

Following a written request from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for the release of Cauvery water, the Karnataka Government turned down the request citing shortage of water in its reservoirs to meet its own demand as the reason.

 

"In the present circumstances, there is no question of releasing Cauvery water voluntarily to Tamil Nadu apart from the natural flow of water due to excess inflow in our dams,’’ Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai said after an all party meeting convened by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa following Karunanidhi’s request.

 

However, at KRS, the officials maintain that water was discharged as there was an increase in inflow (of about 11,459 cusecs) to the reservoir. Around 5,459 cusecs have been released to irrigation canals and 6,000 cusecs to the river, following incessant rains in Kodagu district, the catchment area of Cauvery. KRS executive engineer Vijaykumar said they discharged 6,000 cusecs into the river keeping the safety of the reservoir in mind.

 

Referring to the good rains in Kodagu and Wayanad on Wednesday, Bommai said the inflow in the Krishnaraj Sagar dam was increasing and it was expected to be full by Thursday. "Once the reservoir’s level exceeds 124.8 feet, then the excess water will naturally flow to Tamil Nadu,’’ he added. The decision to reject Tamil Nadu’s demand was taken after a thorough review of issues related to rains, storage in the reservoirs, the situation of the standing crops and the state’s requirement of water for irrigation as well as drinking purposes till June 2011, Bommai said.

 

Opposition leaders Siddaramaiah, C Motamma, H D Revanna and M C Nanaiah, Ministers S Suresh Kumar, R Ashoka and V S Acharya and officials from the Water Resources Department took part in the meeting.

 

According to sources, the TN CM has cited the tribunal’s interim award, according to which 205 tmc feet of water has to be released to TN annually.