Can't release water to Tamil Nadu till year-end: Karnataka to Supreme Court

Karnataka has told the Supreme Court that the state can't release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu until year-end.

Informing the court of their inability to carry out its directive, the state government today urged the court to modify its order. The government also said that the water, which will amount to 42,000 cusecs of water, should be treated as "arrears" and the state would be able release it by the end of December.

On 20 September, the Karnataka government was directed to release 6,000 cusecs of river water daily to Tamil Nadu for seven days from 21 September to 27 September by the top court.

In its observation, the apex court also asked the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board within four weeks. The state government told the bench that people "will have to sacrifice our drinking water for irrigation purposes in Tamil Nadu".

State Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on 24 September wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inform him about the resolution passed unanimously by both the houses in the Karnataka Legislature on Friday.

Karnataka has decided that the existing water that is stored in four reservoirs will not be drawn for any purpose other than drinking, the letter said.

In his letter, Siddaramaiah had elaborated on the state government's intentions to move the Supreme Court in order to seek more time to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.