Cauvery issue: Panel to visit river basin from Oct 7 to 15 to assess ground realities

New Delhi: A supervisory committee, led by Central Water Commission chairman G S Jha, will visit the Cauvery basin area from October 7 to October 15 to assess "ground realities" as directed by the Supreme Court, a top official said here today.

The team, which will also comprise CWC member Syed Masood Hussain, its chief engineer R K Gupta and chief engineer-rank representatives of the states, will visit the basin areas of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry before submitting its report to the Supreme Court on October 17.

The team is expected to visit Hemavathi, Harangi, Krishna Raj Sagar and Kabini reservoirs in Karnataka.

In Tamil Nadu, it is likely to inspect water stock at Mettur, Lower Bhavani Dam and Amaravati reservoirs in the basin, which covers approximately 81,000 square km area.

"The team will assess water availability in the basin area and crop situation in the wake of drought. The report will help the Apex Court arrive at a decision on quantum of water to be released by Karnataka to Tamil Nadu post October 18 when the matter will be heard next," Union Water Resources Ministry Secretary Shashi Shekhar told PTI.

Meanwhile, the Centre has issued a notification to states over formation of the committee.

Earlier in the day, the Apex Court asked Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu from October 7 to October 18.

The court also ordered sending the committee after the Centre made a suggestion about dispatching a technical team in its plea seeking modification of the Apex Court's September 30 order that the central government forms the Cauvery Water Management Board.