Cauvery row: SC modifies amount of water Karnataka has to release to Tamil Nadu to 12,000 cusecs/day

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered Karnataka to release to Tamil Nadu, 12,000 cusecs a day of Cauvery water instead of the earlier ordered 15,000 cusecs a day. The court's modified order directed Karnataka to release the water until September 20.
The apex court was hearing an application filed by Karnataka seeking a direction to reduce the quantum of water to be released from Cauvery River to Tamil Nadu to 1,000 cusecs from 15,000 cusecs.
After Tamil Nadu pleaded for water to save the samba crop in about 40,000 acres of agricultural fields in the Cauvery delta region, the apex court last Monday ordered Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water daily for 10 days to the lower-riparian region on.
The Karnataka government also asked to keep the SC's September 5 order in abeyance until the next hearing date. It justified this request saying that there has been a fault in the Cauvery Water Tribunal award, which does not deal with the issue of deficient water in the reservoir in a particular month.
The Karnataka government also requested the apex court to suspend its order because the latter isn't having a water crisis, it said. The " agony claimed by Tamil Nadu on the water crisis" doesn't exist, the Karnataka government told the court.
The SC refused to keep in abeyance or suspend that order.
At the same time, the apex court expressed its displeasure at the Karnataka government for not implementing its order.


Since the court's September 5 order there have been bandhs and protests in Karnataka protesting the order.
"Citizen and the executive of this country have to accept and obey the order of the SC unless it is modified. If the court passes an order, either comply or come for modification. People cannot take law into their hand," Justice Dipak Misra said.
Referring to the content of Karnataka's plea, the bench said: "If we are allowed to say then we must say that the tone and tenor of the application is absolutely disturbing and to say the least, totally deprecable ... that apart, the application for modification contain(s) certain averment(s) which follow the tenor or similar language which cannot be conceived of in a court of law seeking modification of an order."
"Agitation, spontaneity or galvanised riot or any kind of catalystic component can never form the foundation for seeking modification of an order,"the SC said.
During the hearing, the bench noted the stiff claims and counter-claims of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and said that it would apply the concept of fair compensation in the matter and fixed it for further hearing on September 20.
With inputs from PTI