SC Directs Karnataka To Release 2,000 Cusecs Cauvery Water To Tamil Nadu Till October 17

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Karnataka government to release 2,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu between October 7-17 in the ongoing Cauvery dispute.

The apex court also ordered the supervisory committee – comprising the secretary of ministry of water resources and chief secretaries of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu – to submit its report on the Cauvery basin by October 17. The court permitted the Centre's request to add engineers and experts from the field of water resources to this supervisory committee.

The Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that the inspection of the Cauvery basin will take 10-12 days.

"The expert committee will check the ground reality and submit a report to us which will be examined by the court on October 18," said Justice Dipak Misra while pronouncing the order.

On the formation of the Cauvery Management Board, the Attorney General said that the court lacks the jurisdiction to pass orders directing the formation of such a board and sought a recall of the order.

"At the advice given by Attorney General we defer the decision on recalling the order at the time of final disposal of the matter," noted the Justice Misra-led bench in its order.

Disagreeing with the Centre's stand, the Tamil Nadu government argued that all courts and tribunals have the power under law to direct the constitution of a board in such inter-state disputes.

"Court orders are being taken lightly. Why this soft treatment to politicians? The Centre is playing into the hands of the Karnataka government. Was the appointment of a board so hard that the Centre had to backtrack? Karnataka doesn't want the board to be constituted," argued Senior Counsel Shekhar Naphade on behalf of Tamil Nadu.

The Karnataka government informed the court that they have released 2,02,774 cusecs of water so far, since September 5, to Tamil Nadu in accordance with court orders. However, Tamil Nadu argued that the amount of water released is in fact far less and said "the state is entitled to get 12 TMC water more for the month of October.”

Karnataka refuted all allegations made by Tamil Nadu and urged the court to not pass further orders regarding releasing water. The state is being "forced to depart with drinking water," argued senior counsel Fali Nariman on behalf of Karnataka.

The apex court will now hear the matter on October 18 when it will consider the expert committee's report.