From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jun 26: Even as the neighbouring Tamil Nadu Government has moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to Karnataka for releasing Cauvery water, the State Government has clearly told the Cauvery Supervisory Committee (CSC) that it can not release 90 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu between June and August.
''Our storage position in the reservoirs in the Cauvery basin is very poor and we will not be able to release water to Tamil Nadu, Water Resources Minister M B Patil said.
Addressing a news conference in Bangalore on Wednesday, Patil said Karnataka has already told the Cauvery Supervisory Committee during its first meeting itself and the Committee has taken note of the State Government’s position.
Usually the reservoirs reach the brim very late, the minister said and pointed out that it was not possible for Karnataka to release monthly quota fixed by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
"We have already filed an objection over the tribunal as well as before the Supreme Court questioning the water sharing formula worked by the tribunal,” he explained.
"When we do not have sufficient water in our reservoirs how it is possible to release water to Tamil Nadu,” he questioned and said Karnataka’s farmers suffered last year due to failure of monsoon.
Patil said the Government had to look after the interests of its own farmers as well as meet the drinking water requirements of the people of Bangalore, Mysore and other cities.
The Cauvery Supervisory Committee at its meeting on June 12 had rejected Tamil Nadu’s demand for its share of water saying it was not feasible in view of the deficit in inflows and the poor storage level in reservoirs in Karnataka.
A meeting of the Committee scheduled for the first week of July would review the situation, Patil said.
However, the State has no problem in releasing 192 tmcft to Tamil Nadu during the year as stipulated by the tribunal, he said.
Tamil Nadu has sought a direction to Karnataka to immediately release 10 tmcft of water due to Tamil Nadu for the month of June and thereafter ensure release of 10 day flows/monthly flows in the subsequent months as per the final order of the Tribunal.
The Minister said the State would place before all data regarding availability of water in its reservoirs before the next supervisory committee meeting.
"We have to hold on to the advantage of the last meeting,” he said.
Contending that the setting up of a supervisory committee had become a futile exercise, the Tamil Nadu Government on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court for a direction to the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board forthwith for the effective implementation of the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
"We have not received any notice from the Supreme Court,” he said adding: ''If we get any notice, we will reply appropriately.”