Chennai: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam on Saturday criticised the state govt’s decision to release water from the Mettur dam for 45 days from Sept 1, saying the duration would be insufficient for samba paddy cultivation and could work to Karnataka’s advantage in the Cauvery water dispute.Water resources minister N Anand had announced that chief minister C Joseph Vijay would release water from the dam on Tuesday for cultivation in the delta region. Talking to reporters here, Shanmugam said the long-duration samba crop required at least 120 days of assured water supply. Restricting the release to 45 days, he said, would adversely affect delta farmers. “The decision could set a precedent that Karnataka could exploit to deny the lower riparian state its rightful share of Cauvery water in future,” he said, referring to Karnataka’s alleged non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s order to release the stipulated quantity of water.
