Bengaluru residents welcome SC order on Cauvery water allocation

However, some residents feel a higher allocation would have been better.

Residents of the city welcomed the 4.75 tmc ft increase in allocation to the IT capital of the country by the Supreme Court in its judgment on the Cauvery dispute delivered on Friday.

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Karnataka government to release 177.25 tmcft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from its inter-state Biligundlu dam. (PTI file photo)

However, many felt that a higher allocation would have been better.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah and irrigation minister MB Patil said while the apex court had not increased allocation for Bengaluru significantly, it had accepted the state’s appeal against the Cauvery Tribunal order that had said as only one-third of Bengaluru came under the Cauvery basin, water could not be allocated for the whole city.

“Our request was a much higher quantum of water to be given to Bengaluru. The increase of 4.75 tmcft of consumptive use is not sufficient,” Patil said. He said the tribunal had earlier granted 1.75 tmcft for consumptive use for one-third of the city.

The city’s population had grown 46% from 6.5 million to 9.6 million between 2001 and 2011 according to Census data.

Water conservationist S Vishwanath said the increased quantum of water would ensure that the city does not face any water shortage in the near future. “With the increased allocation, Bengaluru can provide for its residents for another 10 years -- provided that this water is used judiciously,” he said.

Ashish Nagaraja, who works in a private firm and is a resident of the city, said the Supreme Court had delivered some much needed relief. “A higher allocation would have been better. But this is still very good news,” he said, adding that everything now depended on how efficiently the water would be used.