New Delhi, Sept. 24 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday considered Tamil Nadu's plea seeking release of its share of Cauvery water amid competing claims by the two States over the availability of water, with Tamil Nadu alleging a shortfall of 20 TMC and Karnataka citing drought conditions in its basin.

Tamil Nadu alleged before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that it had suffered crop losses due to inadequate water while Karnataka maintained that it was itself grappling with drought conditions.

Appearing for Tamil Nadu, senior counsel CS Vaidyanathan said the State had already lost its Purvai crop, an early or late Kharif crop, because of the shortage of water.

He alleged that Karnataka was "taking all the water" and sai...