Supreme Court of India. Supreme Court of India.

The Karnataka government on Monday expressed its inability to release water as directed by the Supreme Court, saying its reservoirs don’t have adequate water to meet the demand.

The state government said this in a plea before the apex court, seeking modification of its order asking it to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Karnataka said it can release the water only by the end of the year, as it first needs to provide for its own state, which it claimed was reeling under shortage of drinking water.

WATCH VIDEO: Supreme Court Directs Karnataka To Release 6000 Cusecs Of Cauvery Water To Tamil Nadu Till Friday

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra on September 20 had directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu till September 27, while raising the quantum fixed by the Supervisory Committee by 3,000 cusecs.

Karnataka, in its fresh plea, had expressed inability to implement the apex court order on various grounds including the fact that it does not have adequate water to supply to its cities including Bengaluru.

The apex court had on September 20 also directed the Centre to constitute within four weeks the Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB) as directed by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) in its award.

On September 12, the apex court had asked both the states to ensure that “law and order” prevails.

Meanwhile, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah , in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, informed him about the resolution passed by the state legislature, and that the government would be approaching the Supreme Court seeking modification of the interim order in such a way that it permits Karnataka “to account water for water before the end of the season in January 2017 instead of accounting on 27.09.2016 as directed in the interim order”.

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