Karnataka Asked To Release 3,000 Cusecs Of Cauvery Water Per Day

New Delhi:

Overruling differences between the two states, the Cauvery Supervisory Committee has ordered Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs water per day to Tamil Nadu between September 21 and September 30.

Despite day-long discussions, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu failed to reach an agreement on the quantum of water to be released.

Union Water Resources Secretary and Chairman of the committee Shashi Shekhar asked Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu from September 21 to 30.

"They have not agreed. The two states are free to challenge this order in the Supreme Court when it takes up the matter tomorrow or they can agree with the order before the court," Mr Shekhar said after the meeting.

The state's home minister, Dr G Parameshwara, reacting to the Committee's decision, said that Karnataka was always treated unfairly in the issue and that the state would approach the Court against the order.

Ahead of today's hearing in the Supreme Court, security forces have been stationed at sensitive points to prevent a repeat of last Monday's violence which saw arson and vandalism. Prohibitory orders continue in Bengaluru city and have also been imposed in parts of Mandya.

The supervisory committee in its previous meeting on September 12 had failed to arrive on a decision on quantum of water release for want of adequate information which was to be made available by the river-basin states.

It had asked them to provide the information by September 15.

The Supreme Court had on September 5 asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day for 10 days to Tamil Nadu to ameliorate plight of farmers there.

The interim order led to protests in parts of Karnataka, especially in Mandya district, considered the hotbed of politics over Cauvery issue.