The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday moved the Supreme Court for a direction to the Centre to convene a meeting of the Cauvery River Authority immediately to perform its statutory obligations and approve the distress sharing formula evolved by the Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC) for sharing of flows of the Cauvery in view of the prevailing distress situation in Tamil Nadu. In its application, the State said: “During the current irrigation year, 2012-2013, though the southwest monsoon is not vigorous in the Cauvery catchment of Karnataka, the State has received 21.9 tmcft in its four major reservoirs up to July 20, but it has not shared the water with Tamil Nadu, but has started to build the storages in its four major reservoirs and letting water into the canals of the Krishna Raja Sagar for irrigation, with the result that Tamil Nadu is deprived of its due waters as per the Interim Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.” It said: “The deficit in realisation of flows in the Mettur dam as per the Interim Order has mounted to 36.15 tmcft as on July 20. The Mettur dam could not be opened on the scheduled date of June 12 and the Kuruvai crop could not be taken up for cultivation. Karnataka has impounded in their reservoirs 9.5 tmcft in the month of July up to July 20.” It said: “Instead of impounding all the flows, Karnataka should share the flows with Tamil Nadu as and when received, especially during the distress year, so that farmers who depend on Mettur reservoir could at least raise one single Samba crop.” Tamil Nadu pointed out that over the years, Karnataka had not agreed to the distress sharing formula evolved by the Central Water Commission/Cauvery Monitoring Committee, with the result that it “resorts to impounding all the flows in its reservoirs depriving Tamil Nadu of getting its legitimate flows, more so during the lean years, thus aggravating the distress situation.” It said: “During the current irrigation season 2012-13 also, the southwest monsoon has not been active so far in the Catchment area of Cauvery, with the result, there is a distress situation and since there is no agreed formula for sharing the flows in such distress years, the State is put to hardship and the flows due as per the Interim Order of the Tribunal are not being ensured by Karnataka. The Cauvery is the lifeline of Tamil Nadu which contributes about 45 per cent of the total surface flows in Tamil Nadu.” “Karnataka, which is the upper riparian, is duty-bound to ensure the stipulated flows to Tamil Nadu during the irrigation season every year. Even if there is any distress due to lean monsoon conditions, the available flows must be shared between the two States. The failure to adhere to the stipulated releases by indiscriminate use of waters by Karnataka affects the agriculture and consequently the economy of the applicant State, which is largely agro-based in the Cauvery Basin. It also affects the total food grains supply in the State and also in the country…..” Tamil Nadu sought a direction to the CMC to place before the CRA the distress sharing formula evolved, and direct the CRA to perform its obligations and also implement the Order dated September 3, 2002, passed by the Supreme Court by convening its meeting immediately and approve the distress sharing formula evolved by the CMC.”