PMK leader G.K. Mani arriving at all party meeting convened over Cauvery water dispute at the Secretariat on July 16, 2024 | Photo Credit: R. Ragu
An all-party (represented in the Tamil Nadu Legislature) meeting chaired by Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan commenced in the Secretariat in Chennai on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. The meeting is set to discuss the State’s Cauvery water dispute with neighbouring Karnataka along with inputs and legal experts and further decide on the future course of action.
Representatives of the principal opposition AIADMK, Congress, PMK, BJP, VCK, CPI (M), CPI were present in the meeting. Representatives from Kongunadu Makkal Katchi, Manidhaneya Makkal Katchi, Puratchi Bharatham and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi were also present in the meeting.
The meeting was convened as Karnataka refused a directive of the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) to release 1 tmcft of water in the Cauvery to Tamil Nadu.
Following Karnataka’s refusal, the Tamil Nadu government had also written to Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) urging it to implement the directive of the CWRC to Karnataka to release 1 tmcft of water in the Cauvery to Tamil Nadu.
As on July 15, the total water storage in four major reservoirs of Karnataka stood at 75.586 tmc. The water storage in Mettur dam is merely 13.808 tmc.