Supreme Court Directs Karnataka To Follow Cauvery Water Order

Core News & Key Facts

The Supreme Court on Monday directed Karnataka to comply with the directions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) regarding the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. A Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking implementation of the authority’s directions.

The court also called for a status report on the water releases and posted the matter for August 24. The order comes amid the continuing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the sharing and release of Cauvery river water.

Tamil Nadu told the court that Karnataka was not complying with the CWMA directions and that the State was not receiving the water required for farmers. Senior Advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing for Tamil Nadu, submitted that Karnataka’s reservoirs had 76% live storage as of Monday morning.

Context & Official Statements

Tamil Nadu claimed it had received only 14 TMC of water against 64 TMC that it said was due under the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award. The State further argued that, after accounting for the deficit in flows this year, it should have received a proportionate 55.29%, leaving a backlog of around 20 TMC.

Karnataka disputed the allegation of non-compliance. Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the State, said Karnataka was facing extremely severe distress in the Cauvery basin and that the CWMA had considered the situation while issuing its directions.

According to Karnataka, an earlier CWMA direction required the State to release 3,500 cusecs for 15 days until August 11. The State maintained that it had met that requirement and released substantially more water during the period.

On the latest direction requiring a flow of 12,000 cusecs from August 12, Karnataka acknowledged that the flow remained around 6,000 cusecs during the first four to five days. It said it expected to make up the shortfall later. The State informed the court that Monday morning’s flow had reached 12,607 cusecs after reservoir gates were opened.

Impact & What to Expect Next

The Supreme Court observed that Karnataka’s compliance with the 12,000-cusecs direction should be reviewed after a further period. The Bench directed the State to ensure compliance with the CWMA directions and asked that the latest position on water releases be placed before the court.

The court’s direction keeps the focus on actual water releases and the implementation of the authority’s decisions while both States continue to present competing claims over the availability and distribution of Cauvery water.

Tamil Nadu had approached the Supreme Court on August 3 seeking implementation of the CWMA’s July 30 decision concerning the release of 3,500 cusecs for 15 days. The State had sought 4.536 TMC, calculated at 3,500 cusecs per day for 15 days, by August 12.

The next hearing is scheduled for August 24, when the court is expected to consider the updated status of releases and Karnataka’s compliance with the CWMA directions.