Cauvery row: SC defers order on Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking more water

India’s Supreme Court (SC) on Friday (August 25) deferred from passing any order in response to the Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking the release of 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery River water daily by neighbouring Karnataka state for irrigation.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice BR Gavai said it would be waiting for a report from the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on the amount of water released by Karnataka.

The report will be submitted by September 1, when the matter is next listed.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, senior advocates CS Vaidyanathan and Mukul Rohatgi sought 10,000 cusecs of water be released by Karnataka in the interim, to make up for the water shortage in the state, Bar and Bench news outlet reported.

Tamil Nadu seeks more water for standing crops

But the senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the Karnataka government, said that the state government won’t be able to comply with the request due to a shortage of rainfall this year.

Advocate Divan said that Karnataka had already discharged water as mandated by CWMA and added that it takes three days for it to travel to Tamil Nadu.

But Rohatgi said that water has not been made available to the lower riparian state despite orders from CWMA.

Then Justice Gavai said, "Why do you not go before the authority? We do not have expertise in this. How can we pass any order? Please approach the authorities."

Justice Narasimha later said that the authority's orders were not being complied with.

Rohatgi informed the court that the Tamil Nadu state was also running out of water and that there was a “huge deficit”.

Hearing now on Sept 1

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the central government, then informed the apex court Bench that the CWMA would be meeting on Monday, following which the court listed the next hearing on September 1.

The Karnataka government has earlier described as "wholly misconceived" Tamil Nadu's plea seeking a direction from the top court seeking release of 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for standing crops.

In an affidavit, it said that Tamil Nadu's plea was based on an incorrect assumption that "the current water year is a normal water year and not a distressed water year".

Rainfall has been 25 per cent lower and the water inflow into Karnataka's four reservoirs 42.5 per cent lesser, the affidavit said, adding that the stipulated release shall not be applicable this year.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE