Cauvery Row Escalates As Tamil Nadu Seeks SC Intervention Over Water Sharing Dispute

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday approached the Supreme Court seeking directions against Karnataka for allegedly failing to release Cauvery water as mandated by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). The state government has sought judicial intervention to ensure that Tamil Nadu receives its allocated share of water within the prescribed timeframe. The petition was filed after Tamil Nadu claimed that Karnataka did not comply with the directions issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and later endorsed by the CWMA.

The dispute relates to the release of water from Karnataka’s reservoirs into the Cauvery river system, which is crucial for agriculture and drinking water needs in Tamil Nadu. According to an official statement from the Tamil Nadu government, the CWRC, during its 139th meeting held on July 28, directed Karnataka to release water from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs to maintain an inflow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu from 8 am on July 29 for 15 days until August 12.

The Cauvery Water Management Authority reviewed the matter during its 54th emergency meeting on July 30 and endorsed the CWRC’s recommendation after considering hydrological and weather conditions in the Cauvery basin. However, Tamil Nadu alleged that the actual water flow received at Biligundlu between July 29 and August 2 remained significantly below the directed level. The state said the recorded flow during the period ranged between 158 cusecs and 550 cusecs, instead of the required 3,500 cusecs.

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The Tamil Nadu government argued that Karnataka has sufficient water availability to comply with the order. It stated that Karnataka’s four major Cauvery basin reservoirs — Krishnaraja Sagar, Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathi — collectively held 77.537 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water as of August 3, including a live storage of 67.517 tmcft. The state government maintained that Karnataka could release Tamil Nadu’s proportionate share without affecting its own water requirements. It has urged the Supreme Court to direct Karnataka to follow the CWMA’s instructions and ensure the timely release of water.

The Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has remained a long-standing inter-state issue, particularly during periods of uneven rainfall and drought-like conditions. Both states frequently approach regulatory authorities and courts over disagreements related to water allocation and reservoir management. The Supreme Court’s intervention is now being sought at a time when Tamil Nadu has raised concerns over reduced inflows affecting agricultural activities and water availability. The court is expected to examine the petition and decide on further directions in the matter.

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