The Supreme Court is set to urgently address Tamil Nadu's plea for the release of Cauvery River water following an urgent request presented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi. The state has pressed for the immediate release of 24,000 cusecs of water from Karnataka's reservoirs to cater to the pressing needs of standing crops.
Tamil Nadu's plea was presented before Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud's bench on August 18. Mr. Rohatgi stressed the urgency of the matter and urged the Chief Justice to expedite the process.
Acknowledging the urgency, Chief Justice Chandrachud assured that a bench would be constituted promptly to address the matter. The previous bench handling the issue was led by retired Justice AM Khanwilkar.
The heart of the plea lies in Tamil Nadu's demand for Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water from its reservoirs starting from August 14. The state contends that the release of this water is essential to meet the immediate requirements of the standing crops in its delta districts.
However, Tamil Nadu's plea outlines that despite the Cauvery Water Management Authority's (CWMA) directive to release 15,000 cusecs of water at Billigundulu on August 11, Karnataka reduced this to 10,000 cusecs. This reduced quantum of water has not been complied with by Karnataka, as stated in the plea.
Tamil Nadu's application emphasizes the dire need for water due to the critical role it plays in supporting agriculture. Around 14.913 lakh acres of land, involving approximately 4 million farmers and 10 million labourers, depend on the Mettur reservoir for irrigation, particularly during the South West Monsoon. The release of water from the Mettur reservoir is crucial for sustaining agricultural operations in the Cauvery delta, and the state argues that the crops are currently facing water stress due to inadequate water supply.
To address these challenges, Tamil Nadu seeks the implementation of the Supreme Court's ruling from February 16, 2018, which instructed Karnataka to adhere to the designated water-sharing schedule.
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