New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Karnataka to release 2000 cusecs of water per day from Oct 7-18 thus ending a stalemate which lasted several days.
The SC also deferred the formation of Cauvery Management Board till further orders and formed an expert committee to go to the Cauvery basin and prepare a status report on the ground reality.
The committee has been instructed to submit a detailed report by October 18.
Earlier, Karnataka's lead lawyer Fali S Nariman informed the SC that in order to comply with its earlier orders the state would release 1500 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu till October 18.
The SC increased the quantum of water to 2000 cusecs per day.
After Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi expressed Centre's objections to the formation of Cauvery Water Management Board saying that only Parliament can decide that, the SC agreed to defer the matter.
By agreeing to release water, the Karnataka government has avoided a confrontation with the highest court.
Karnataka's legal team led by Nariman told the SC that the state government had already started releasing water to Tamil Nadu from last night.
Earlier the SC had ordered Karnataka to release 6000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu which was opposed by the state on the grounds that it had no water to spare.
On Monday, after sitting on an SC order for days, the Karnataka government started releasing water to farmers in Tamil Nadu. The Karnataka legislature, which held an emergency session through the day, advised the government to take appropriate decision in this regard.
After this, the Karnataka cabinet headed by Siddaramaiah decided to release water for irrigation, but the chief minister had refused to specify the quantity.
Karnataka said it decided to release water to its own farmers to save standing crops in Mandya and Mysore districts - the outflow will reach farmers in Tamil Nadu as well.
The state government also moved a resolution in the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly saying: "It has been brought to our notice that standing crop in the Cauvery basin is suffering and there has been pressure from farmers to release water. The government can now take appropriate decisions on the release of water from dams, after ensuring drinking water requirements are met and water for drinking is set aside”.
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