About 11 lakh hectre of paddy land will be affected as Karnataka is not willing to release water from its Cauvery basin till the beginning of the northeast monsoon season, which is expected to start around October 15.

Karnataka has decided to stick to its stated position despite the recent recommendations of the monitoring committee of the Cauvery River Authority to release water immediately for the paddy field in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Both September and October are crucial period for samba and kurvai crops in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Due to deficient rainfall in the state in the current season, only 50 per cent of the cultivable area are covered under kuruvai crops. Besides, 11 lakhacres of paddy land is affected.

Rainfall in the current southeast monsoon has been deficient in Tamil Nadu. Both Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry have received only 161 mm of rainfall in the current season as compared to 289 mm rainfall in the corresponding period in the previous year. This season's rainfall in Tamil Nadu is also much below the normal level of 290 mm.

Comparatively, Karnataka has received normal rains in the current southwest monsoon. Coastal Karnataka has received four per cent more rains than the normal level of 3,104 mm. It has received 3,218 mm rains in the current season as against 3,522 mm rains in the corresponding period last year.

North interior Karnataka has received 371 mm rains in the current season as against a normal of 428 mm. In the corresponding period in the previous year it received 560 mm rains. South interior Karnataka has received 552 mm rains in the current season as against a normal of 658 mm. In the corresponding period in the previous year, south interior Karnatakareceived 768 mm rains.In Karnataka, the current period water storage in Krishnaraja Sagar, Tungabhadra, Grataprabha, Bhadra, Linganamakki, Narayanpur, Malaprabha, Kabini, Hemavathy, Harangi, Supa and Vani Vilas Sagar is sufficient to irrigate about 21,97,000 hectare of culturable command area (CCA) and generate 160 MW of hydel power.

Comparatively the water storage in Lower Bhawani, Mettur, Vagai, Prambikulam, Aliyar and Sholayar in Tamil Nadu can feed only 2,90,000 hectare of CCA and generate 544 MW of hydel power. Current water storage in Mettur reservoir can feed only 1,22,000 CCA.

Tamil Nadu has stated that it needs a total of 33 TMC water up to October. As there is about 14 TMC of water in the net Cauvery reservoir, 11 TMC water can easily be released leaving 3 TMC as dead storage. This 11 TMC water is sufficient to irrigate paddy fields in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry for a week.The emergency meeting of the monitoring committee of the Cauvery River Authority held last Friday has recommended immediaterelease of water from the Karnataka reservoirs to save the standing paddy crops in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

The monitoring committee, which met for the fourth time since its formation on the direction of the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee stated that the Karnataka should release a deficit of 3 TMC of water during September in addition to the mandatory release for the remaining period of the month at the earliest as per the interim order of the tribunal.

Also for the month of October, Karnataka should release a deficit of 6 TMC water in addition to the mandatory release for the month.

To make good the remaining deficit of water during the months of November and December should be released in addition to mandatory releases as prescribed in the interim order of the tribunal. All releases in the period October to December shall be in equal weekly installments for each month.Tamil Nadu, in turn, shall make available the stipulated quantities of water to Pondicherry.

The monitoring committee waspresided over by Z Hasan, secretary, water resoUrces. The chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Pondicherry and Kerala were also present.