Lok Sabha Question No. 2947 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-08
Subject: Release of Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2947

ANSWERED ON 08.08.2024

## RELEASE OF CAUVERY WATER TO TAMIL NADU

## 2947.   DR. D RAVI KUMAR

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the status or the Union Government's stance on Karnataka's reluctance to release Cauvery water to the State of Tamil Nadu as mandated by the Supreme Court, especially considering the significant storage levels of dams in the State of Karnataka;

(b) the manner in which the Union Government proposes to address the issue of insufficient water release that has led delta farmers in Tamil Nadu to forgo Kuruvai and possibly Samba cultivation during the current year;

(c) the response of the Union Government on the proposed construction of the Mekedatu dam by the State of Karnataka and the measures taken/proposed to be taken to address the concerns raised by the State of Tamil Nadu regarding this project; and

(d)  the  steps  taken/proposed to be taken by the  Union Government to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between the State of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to ensure equitable distribution of Cauvery river water and prevent future disputes?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) & (b) As  per  the  final  Award  of  CWDT, as modified by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India order dated  16.02.2018,  the  State  of  Karnataka  is  mandated  to  release  177.25  TMC  of  water  at  the  inter-state border with Tamil Nadu i.e. at Biligundulu (CWC G&D site).

Cauvery  Water  Management  Authority  (CWMA)  and  the  Cauvery  Water  Regulation  Committee (CWRC) in their periodical meetings, after detail deliberations on the hydro-meteorological conditions in the Cauvery basin and net inflows into the four reservoirs in the State of Karnataka vis-à-vis the average net inflows of the last 30 years during the same period, takes the decision and accordingly directs the member from State of Karnataka to release the stipulated flows from its reservoirs so that the cumulative realization at  Biligundulu (the inter-state contact point between the State of Karnataka and the State of Tamil Nadu,) is maintained as per CWDT Award as modified by Hon'ble Supreme Court of India.

(c) The  'In-principle'  clearance  to  the  Feasibility  Report  (FR)  of  the  Mekedatu  Balancing  Reservoir  cum Drinking Water Project, Karnataka for preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was accorded by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on 24.10.2018 subject to certain conditions, inter-alia " acceptance of DPR by Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) ". DPR of the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir cum Drinking Water Project submitted by the Government of Karnataka in January 2019 was referred to CWMA by CWC.

In the 28th meeting of CWMA held on 01.02.2024, after detailed deliberation taking into account the views of the majority of the Members of the CWMA, the Authority has decided to refer back the project to CWC for examination of various technical/economical aspects of the project for establishing its feasibility and further necessary action at their end.

(d) In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6A of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, the Central  Government  notified  the  Cauvery  Water  Management  Scheme  on  1st  June,  2018,  inter-alia, constituting  the  'Cauvery  Water  Management  Authority  (CWMA)'  and  the  'Cauvery  Water  Regulation Committee (CWRC)' to give effect to the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as modified by the Hon'ble Supreme Court Vide its Order, dated 16th February, 2018.

The CWMA has four Part-Time Members from party States - Administrative Secretaries in charge of Water  Resource  Departments  of  each  State  Government  of  Kerala,  Karnataka,  Tamil  Nadu  and  Union territory of Puducherry who are nominated by the State Governments and Union territory administration to represent them respectively.

Regular meetings of CWMA and CWRC are held wherein the Hydro-meteorological conditions of the Cauvery Basin, storage position in the designated reservoirs in the Cauvery Basin and the quantum of flow  at  Biligundulu  (the  inter-state  contact  point  between  the  State  of  Karnataka  and  the  State  of  Tamil Nadu,)  are deliberated in detail and decision taken in consultation with the party States/U.T.

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