Committee meets to fix quantum of Cauvery water to be released

New Delhi: The Cauvery Supervisory Committee, headed by Union Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar, today met here to decide on the quantum of water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states after September 20.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court had asked Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs Cauvery water per day, down from previous 15,000 cusecs, to Tamil Nadu till September 20.

"The committee will decide on the quantum of water to be released after September 20," an official said. Besides Shekhar, the meeting is being attended by officials of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry governments.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of the apex court on September 5 asking Tamil Nadu to approach the committee over the issue.

Protests by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits have been reported from several parts of Karnataka over the Supreme Court's order asking it to release water to Tamil Nadu.

According to sources, during the meeting, Karnataka government officials told the Committee that the quantum of water being released by it is likely to affect drinking water requirements of the state.

On the other hand, Tamil Nadu government officials claimed that their state is receiving less water from Karnataka, the sources said.

"Tamil Nadu urged the Committee to dispatch an experts' team to monitor the actual quantum of water being released," they added.

When asked about the apex court modifying its September 5 interim order today to ask Karnataka to release a reduced quantum of water to Tamil Nadu and other states, a senior central government official said, "The Committee has not seen or received the order as yet. However, some Karnataka
officials talked about it in the meeting."

The Committee is slated to meet again later today and is expected to pass final order.