Cauvery water row: SC modifies its order; asks Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs water per day to Tamil Nadu

The Supreme Court on Monday modified its previous order on water to be released to Tamil Nadu from Cauvery river and asked Karnataka to release 12000 cusecs water per day.

The court modified the order after the application was filed by Karnataka seeking a direction to reduce the quantum of water to be released from Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu from 15,000 cusecs to 1,000 cusecs.

The court directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu till September 20. However, rejected the plea that the earlier order, asking it to release 15,000 cusecs water per day, be kept in abeyance. "Citizens and executive of this country have to accept and obey order of the SC unless it is modified," Justice Dipak Misra observed.

The Court also expresses displeasure over the non-implementation of the order by Karnataka Government. However, Karnataka government told the Supreme Court that the "agony claimed by Tamil Nadu on water crisis was not there".

In the plea, Karnataka has said there was "huge public pressure" and the state police, with great difficulty, have been able to prevent attempts to damage public property.

The Cauvery Supervisory Committee, headed by Union Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar, will on Monday meet in New Delhi to decide on the quantum of Cauvery river water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states.