#DATAVIEW: The Supreme Court order on Kaveri water-sharing with Tamil Nadu is going to affect the state adversarily due to the longer-term impact this year on drinking water supply. Forget the news of lost business due to the Bangalore bandh and protests after the initial SC ruling. The September 20 SC ruling hurts Karnataka in a drought year by leaving far less than what is required for drinking water to Bangalore, and the rest of Karnataka. 

The chart above (click to view) gives a deficit estimate if even the earlier order for 3000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu is fulfilled - Bangalore and the state would face a deficit of 6.72 TMCT (thousand million cubic feet) of drinking water based on water requirements till May 2017. The Supreme Court ruling yesterday doubled that amount to 6000 cusecs, which would bring Karnataka's drinking water deficit to 9.4 TMCT of water. 

While many in Karnataka are protesting the SC ruling, the fact remains that the SC's elbow room is limited due to the 2007 Tribunal ruling that Karnataka release 90 TMCT of water to Tamil Nadu every year. This being a drought year, Karnataka is seeing shortfall in rain, and the reservoirs are 75% empty.

The water in Karnataka's reservoirs is now at 26 TMCT. The release to TN would bring it to 19.2 TMCT. Bangalore and the rest of Karnataka need 30 TMCT of water until May 2017, when the next rains come. The deficit means that Bangaloreans and the rest of Karnataka are in for a dry summer.  It's why the Karnataka government is insisting today that the SC order is "unimplementable".