The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has directed Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu for five more days. A meeting of the CWRC took place in Bengaluru on Thursday, headed by Chairman Navin Kumar. The decision comes even as the Krishnarajasagar and Kabini dams in the state have seen below average inflows. As of August 1, the storage level of the Krishnarajasagar dam was 8.51 tmc ft, 33.91 tmc ft below last year's level (42.42 tmc ft) for the corresponding period. Levels at the Kabini stood at 9.60 tmc ft while it was 15.13 tmc ft during the same time last year.
The CWRC said in a press note, “The committee discussed about the (water) releases to be made from Krishnarajasagar and Kabini dams of Karnataka for ensuring flows at Biligundulu. Having noted that the flows have been below normal, it was decided that the State of Karnataka would continue to release water from its reservoirs viz., Krishnarajasagar and Kabini for the next five days in proportion to the inflows into the reservoir of Karnataka.” It added that the position would be reviewed in the next meeting tentatively fixed for August 8 in New Delhi. 
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha passed the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill that seeks to replace the multiple water dispute tribunals in the country with a single tribunal of different benches. Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced in parliament that final verdicts will be delivered within a period of two years under the new amendments.