The Supreme Court has declined to interfere with the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) order instructing Karnataka to release 5000 cusecs of water at Biligundlu for a 15-day period, from September 13th to 27th. This order was originally issued by the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) and upheld by the CWMA. The Court emphasized that these committees consist of water resource and agriculture experts who consider various factors, including water shortages and distress conditions in the Cauvery basin.
Tamil Nadu argued for a larger release, citing eligibility for 7200 cusecs, while Karnataka, facing its own water challenges, complied with the order despite objections. The Court noted the ongoing dispute over the water allocation and chose not to interfere, highlighting the regular monitoring and review of the situation by the CWMA and CMRC.
This dispute traces back to 1974 when Karnataka began diverting water without Tamil Nadu’s consent, culminating in the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s (CWDT) 2007 decision, later modified by the Supreme Court in 2018. The Court’s 2018 ruling reduced Karnataka’s mandated water release from 192 TMC to 177.25 TMC.
The case title is “State Of Karnataka By Its Chief Secretary v. State Of Tamil Nadu State By Its Chief Secretary MA 3127/2018 in C.A. No. 2453/2007.”
