Cauvery row: Karnataka asked to release 3K cusecs of water per day to TN till Sept 30

Overruling differences between the two states, the Cauvery Supervisory Committee on Monday ordered Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs water per day to Tamil Nadu between September 21 and September 30.

Despite day-long discussions, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu failed to reach an agreement on the quantum of water to be released.

Union Water Resources Secretary and Chairman of the committee Shashi Shekhar used his power asking Karnataka to release 3000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu from September 21 to 30.

"They have not agreed. The two states are free to challenge this order in the Supreme Court when it takes up the matter tomorrow or they can agree with the order before the court," Shekhar told reporters after the meeting.

The supervisory committee in its previous meeting on September 12 had failed to arrive on a decision on quantum of water release for want of adequate information which was to be made available by the river-basin states.

It had asked them to provide the information by September 15.

The Supreme Court had on September 5 asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day for 10 days to Tamil Nadu to ameliorate plight of farmers there.

The interim order led to protests in parts of Karnataka, especially in Mandya district, considered the hotbed of politics over Cauvery issue.