The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to submit its report by September 1 on a petition filed by the State of Tamil Nadu seeking direction to the Karnataka government to release 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water.
Noting that it did not possess the expertise to decide the matter, the Bench of Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Prashant Kumar called for a report on the matter by the concerned authorities.
At the commencement of hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati apprised the Apex Court that the meeting of Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) was scheduled to be held on Monday to consider the discharge of water for the next fortnight.
The Bench then directed the CWMA to inform the Court whether its orders directing the State of Karnataka to discharge water to the State of Tamil Nadu was being complied with.
The petition filed by Tamil Nadu government contended that despite the orders passed by the CWRC and CWMA, Karnataka was not supplying the required amount of water to Tamil Nadu.
The Karnataka government contended that more water than what was earmarked by the CWMA has already been discharged, but it takes three days time for the water to reach Tamil Nadu.
The top court of the country noted after the scheduled meeting of CWRC on Monday regarding the discharge of water for the next fortnight, the matter would go to the CWMA. Therefore, it directed the CWMA to submit its report as to whether the directions issued by it for discharge of water have been complied with or not.
The Bench further directed the ASG to communicate the orders regarding discharge of water for the next fortnight to the CWMA to obtain its report prior to next Friday.
The Apex Court further recorded the submission of Karnataka government that the orders passed by CWMA were adverse to its interests and that an application has been filed for reduction of water allotted to the State of Tamil Nadu.
However, the petitioner submitted that the water allotted to it was much less and they have requested the authorities for enlargement of their share.
Representing the State of Karnataka, Senior Advocate Shyam Divan contended that it has been a distressing year for the state and there has been shortage of rainfall and a cutback was inevitable.
Representing the State of Tamil Nadu, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi contended that the immediate problem was that the authority had said that 15,000 cusecs be released for 15 days, which was set to expire today.
(Case title: State of Karnataka by its Chief Secretary vs State of Tamil Nadu State by its Chief Secretary)