Cauvery crisis re-looms large

The dearth of Monsoon so far in the Indian peninsula and poor storage in the four reservoirs of the Cauvery basin have forced Karnataka to continue its embargo on releasing water for its own farmers, and also barred water release for Tamil Nadu. Karnataka Water Resources Minister M B Patil expressed the state’s inability to release water to Tamil Nadu to the extent stipulated by the Cauvery Tribunal. The present storage in the four reservoirs of the Cauvery basin—KRS, Kabini, Hemavathi, Harangi is 26 tmcft as against 57.89 tmcft same time last year. According to the Tribunal award, Karnataka has to release 44 tmcft of water for the period June 1 to July 31. But Karnataka could so far release just 2.2 tmcft. There is no hope of relief for state’s farmers either as water would not be released for agriculture this year as well unless the storage in the reservoirs improves. The present storage would be utilised only for drinking water purpose.