Bangalore: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Tuesday that the remaining water in the dam will be released to Tamil Nadu when the people of Karnataka no longer require it for drinking water purposes. This statement came after DK Sivakumar met with Union Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan and handed over a letter discussing the water scarcity issue.
The lack of anticipated rainfall this year has led to a significant decrease in water availability in the dam. As a result, the water inflow to the Mettur dam in Tamil Nadu has been alarmingly low. This has raised concerns for the Kuruvai crop, which requires immediate water supply to prevent potential crop failure. The Karnataka government, however, has failed to release water as per the contractual agreements.
In response to the worsening situation, Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Minister, Durai Murugan, visited Delhi and met with Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. During the meeting, Murugan submitted a letter emphasizing the urgency of the situation and requested that the Karnataka government immediately release the required amount of water from the Cauvery river for the months of June and July. According to the agreement between the two states, Karnataka is obligated to provide 22.54 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic Feet) of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar assured Murugan that the remaining water in the dam would be released to Tamil Nadu once the drinking water needs of the people of Karnataka diminish. Shivakumar emphasized that the low water level in the dam was a direct result of insufficient rainfall. He also reiterated the Karnataka government’s commitment to abide by any legal decisions regarding water allocation.
Shivakumar further stated that once there is sufficient rainfall in the Cauvery catchment areas, and the water flow to the dam increases, both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will receive the necessary water supply. This assurance brings a glimmer of hope to the affected regions, as they anticipate better monsoon rains in the coming months.
However, until the situation improves, the farmers in Tamil Nadu continue to face the risk of crop loss, and the dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over water sharing remains unresolved. Both states are heavily reliant on the Cauvery river for their agricultural needs, making a fair and equitable distribution of water crucial for their respective populations’ livelihoods.