Bengaluru/New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Karnataka government to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu everyday till September 20, modifying its earlier order of 15,000 cusecs water.

The apex court bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Jutice Uday Umesh Lalit gave the direction while modifying its September 5 order by which it had asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water for the next ten days. The court rejected Karnataka’s plea to keep the September 5 order in abeyance.

Taking exception to Karnataka, citing law and order situation as a ground for keeping suspension of the September 5 order, the court said it was the obligation of Karnataka government and people to ensure compliance of the top court’s order.

The court also asked the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments to ensure that observance of law and order situation by people in both states.

“Citizen and the executive of this country have to accept and obey the order of the SC unless it is modified. If the court passes an order, either comply or come for modification. People cannot take law into their hand,” Justice Dipak Misra said.

After Tamil Nadu pleaded for water to save the samba crop in about 40,000 acres of agricultural fields in the Cauvery delta region, the apex court last Monday ordered Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water daily for 10 days to the lower-riparian region on.

Since the court’s September 5 order order there have been bandhs and protests in Karnataka protesting the order.