Chennai:
Charging Karnataka with "unjustly utilising" Cauvery water for summer irrigation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today asked Prime Minister Manmhohan Singh to convene a meeting of the Cauvery River Authority to discuss the issue.
Karnataka has been "unjustly utilising" the water for summer irrigation from February to May by depleting storage in its four major reservoirs, she said in a letter to Mr Singh.
The combined gross storage in the four major reservoirs of Karnataka as on February 1, 2012, was 58.50 TMC ft and on May 14, it was 28.176 TMC ft, Ms Jayalalithaa claimed.
"Karnataka had depleted storage of about 30.33 TMC ft. from 1.2.2012 to 14.5.2012, besides utilizing the flows of about 11 TMC ft." Thus, the total utilization during the period was about 41 TMC ft, she said.
Due to depletion of storage during summer, Karnataka "impounds" initial monsoon flows in its dams and released water only when they become surplus, she said, adding, this affected inflows into Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu.
"This consequently affects Kuruvai (short term) crop very badly and also delays cultivation of Samba (long term) crop in the state", she added.
She alleged that Karnataka was also not furnishing year-wise details of the area under irrigation though the Tribunal's interim order specifies that Karnataka shall not increase its area under irrigation beyond 11.20 lakh acres.
Her letter also asks the Prime Minister to immediately convene the meeting of the Authority.
Karnataka has been "unjustly utilising" the water for summer irrigation from February to May by depleting storage in its four major reservoirs, she said in a letter to Mr Singh.
The combined gross storage in the four major reservoirs of Karnataka as on February 1, 2012, was 58.50 TMC ft and on May 14, it was 28.176 TMC ft, Ms Jayalalithaa claimed.
"Karnataka had depleted storage of about 30.33 TMC ft. from 1.2.2012 to 14.5.2012, besides utilizing the flows of about 11 TMC ft." Thus, the total utilization during the period was about 41 TMC ft, she said.
Due to depletion of storage during summer, Karnataka "impounds" initial monsoon flows in its dams and released water only when they become surplus, she said, adding, this affected inflows into Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu.
"This consequently affects Kuruvai (short term) crop very badly and also delays cultivation of Samba (long term) crop in the state", she added.
She alleged that Karnataka was also not furnishing year-wise details of the area under irrigation though the Tribunal's interim order specifies that Karnataka shall not increase its area under irrigation beyond 11.20 lakh acres.
Her letter also asks the Prime Minister to immediately convene the meeting of the Authority.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
