Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday wrote a letter to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, urging him to direct the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to ensure that the Karnataka government releases the designated volume of water from the Cauvery River to Tamil Nadu.
In the letter, the Chief Minister said: "I urge your personal and immediate intervention on this issue and request you to direct the CWMA to issue directions to Karnataka to abide by the monthly schedule prescribed by the Supreme Court and to make good the shortfall."
He also pointed out to the Union Minister the risk being faced by the Kuruvai farmers due to Karnataka not releasing the prescribed quantity of water. The Chief Minister said that the Mettur dam which was opened for Kuruvai cultivation on June 12, has water only to irrigate the fields for 20 days.
He also said that even though the onset of the monsoon was delayed, it picked up pace in July. Stalin said that Karnataka, however, has not released any water to Tamil Nadu from the two scheduled reservoirs.
In a letter to the Union Minister, Stalin further said: "Since the monsoon rainfall in Tamil Nadu is less, the Kuruvai crops depend only on flows from Mettur reservoir, which in turn depends on releases from Karnataka. We have been taking all efforts to manage the crisis with judicious water management."
The Chief Minister said that the demand and supply gap is very significant and it could be met only by water release from Karnataka.
He said that the CWMA, had in its letter dated July 4, advised Karnataka to ensure the water flow at Billigundalu as per the final award of the CWDT modified by the Apex court.
He also added that even after the CWMA's intervention, Karnataka has not made any efforts to adhere to the monthly schedule prescribed by the Supreme Court.
The Chief Minister also said that the standing Kuruvai crops could be saved only if Karnataka releases water immediately.
With inputs from agencies