Cauvery row: SC orders Karnataka to release less water; says people can't take law into their hands

The Supreme Court, on 12 September, asked the Karnataka government to release 12,000 cusecs Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu till 20 September.

The apex court also rejected Karnataka's plea to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day, be kept in suspension. SC expressed anger over "tone and tenor" of Karnataka's plea, saying law & order problem can't be a ground for not complying with its order.

Previously, Karnataka had asked Supreme Court to suspend its 5 September order of releasing water to Tamil Nadu. Supreme Court, in its new judgement, has also maintained that people can't take law into their hands.

As directed by the SC, the Cauvery water committee will strictly adhere to the final order of the court, said a senior official. 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.

"The committee will decide on the quantum of water to be released after September 20," an official said.

In an interim order dated 5 September, the apex court had asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for next 10 days to Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has also agreed to hear plea filed by Karnataka to reduce the quantum of water to be released from Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu from 15,000 cusecs to 1,000 cusecs.