Lok Sabha Question No. 487 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Release of Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Raja A, Shri Raja A

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 487

ANSWERED ON 25.07.2024

## RELEASE OF CAUVERY WATER TO TAMIL NADU

## 487. SHRI RAJA A

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government of Karnataka is blatantly violating the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal Award by not releasing specified quantum of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the quantum of water as stipulated by the Tribunal and as released by Karnataka, during the last three years and the current year, month-wise;
- (c)  whether  Cauvery  Water  Management  Authority  also  reiterated  release  of  water  as  stipulated  by CWDTA;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  efforts  made  by  the  Union  Government  in  getting  the  CWDTA  order  implemented  and  to mitigate the sufferings of the farmers in Tamil Nadu?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

- (a) & (b) As per the Final Award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), as modified by the Hon'ble Supreme Court Order dated 16.02.2018, the total yield of the Cauvery River Basin has been determined to be about 740 TMC at 50% dependability. The final allocation of 740 TMC, as per the Final Award of CWDT, as per ibid court order is as follows:

TMC = Thousand Million Cubic Feet

| S.No   | States                      | Allocation   |
|--------|-----------------------------|--------------|
| 1.     | Kerala                      | 30.00 TMC    |
| 2.     | Tamil Nadu                  | 284.75 TMC   |
| 3.     | Karnataka                   | 404.25 TMC   |
| 4.     | Puducherry                  | 7.00 TMC     |
| 5.     | Environment                 | 10.00 TMC    |
| 6.     | Inevitable escapages to sea | 4.00 TMC     |
|        | Total                       | 740.00TMC    |

Further,  as  per  the  Final  Award  of  CWDT, as modified by the Hon'b1e Supreme Court Order dated  16.02.2018,  the  State  of  Karnataka  would  be  required  to  release  177.25  TMC  of  water,  to  be measured at the inter-state border with Tamil Nadu, i.e., at Biligundulu (CWC G&D site).

In  the  Tribunal  report,  it  has  been  categorically  mentioned  that,  in  case  the  yield  of  Cauvery Basin is less in a distress year, the allocated shares shall be proportionately reduced amongst the States of  Kerala,  Karnataka,  Tamil  Nadu  and  Union  Territory  (UT)  of  Puducherry  and  for  which  the Regulatory Authority will be empowered to do so.

As per this order, the monthly/seasonal  flows actually observed  at Biligundulu (the inter-state contact point between the State of Karnataka and the State of Tamil Nadu) vis-a-vis the stipulated flows to be made available in a normal Water Year (i.e. from 01st June to 31st May) during the last three years is  at Annexure.

(c)  to  (e) Regular  meetings  of  Cauvery  Water  Regulation  Committee (CWRC) and Cauvery  Water Management Authority (CWMA)  are held wherein the Hydro-meteorological conditions in the Cauvery basin and the quantum of flows to be ensured at Biligundulu, are deliberated in detail and decision taken in consultation with all the party member States & U.T.

In the 99 th meeting of CWRC held on 11 th July  2024, the Regulation Committee after detailed deliberations, keeping in view the combined storage position, as on date in the four designated reservoirs in the State of Karnataka, rainfall situation & forecast of the rainfall activity during the next fortnight provided by the representative of IMD, decided that the State of Karnataka needs to ensure releases from its reservoirs, so that the cumulative realization at Biligundulu is 1.00 TMC per day (on an average flow of about 11,500 cusecs).

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 487 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 25.07.2024 REGARDING 'RELEASE OF CAUVERY WATER TO TAMIL NADU'.

Monthly/Seasonal Flows observed at Biligundulu vis-a-vis the stipulated flows to be made available in a Normal Year during the last three years

|            | Flow (in TMC)                  | Flow (in TMC)   | Flow (in TMC)   | Flow (in TMC)   | Flow (in TMC)   |
|------------|--------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
| Month/Year | Stipulated flow in Normal year | Actual 2021-22  | Actual 2022-23  | Actual 2023-24  | Actual 2024-25  |
| June       | 9.19                           | 7.697           | 16.458          | 2.833           | 2.252           |
| July       | 31.24                          | 27.988          | 106.926         | 8.747           | 2.645*          |
| August     | 45.95                          | 22.641          | 223.557         | 19.995          |                 |
| September  | 36.76                          | 33.137          | 105.512         | 13.585          |                 |
| October    | 20.22                          | 48.274          | 120.764         | 12.844          |                 |
| November   | 13.78                          | 71.561          | 40.643          | 10.658          |                 |
| December   | 7.35                           | 26.181          | 25.972          | 5.447           |                 |
| January    | 2.76                           | 6.433           | 7.375           | 2.615           |                 |
| February   | 2.5                            | 3.112           | 4.512           | 0.66            |                 |
| March      | 2.5                            | 5.2146          | 4.305           | 0.94            |                 |
| April      | 2.5                            | 5.8638          | 2.992           | 0.438           |                 |
| May        | 2.5                            | 22.9583         | 8.467           | 2.656           |                 |
| Total      | 177.25                         | 281.058         | 667.483         | 81.418          | 4.897           |

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