The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), which convened on Wednesday, has directed Karnataka to release 2.5 thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for the month of May. This directive aligns with the Supreme Court's final award in the long-standing inter-state river dispute.
Tamil Nadu's Objections
During the meeting, Tamil Nadu officials objected to Karnataka's contention that excess water had already been released in the 2025-2026 water year. They argued that the discharge of surplus water cannot be considered as part of the prescribed quantum mandated by the court. Officials from Karnataka stated that they had released 326.945 tmc during the current water year, against the stipulated quantity of 174.500 tmc. They urged the authority to take this excess into account. However, Tamil Nadu rejected this argument, emphasizing that surplus water discharged from Karnataka's reservoirs should not be counted towards the monthly quantum entitled to Tamil Nadu. They made it clear that Karnataka, as the upper riparian state, must comply with the Supreme Court's order and release 2.5 tmc to meet the lower riparian state's water needs for May.
Authority's Decision
Following the deliberations, the CWMA directed the Karnataka government to release the prescribed quantity of water for the period. The authority's decision was based on the Supreme Court's 2018 verdict, which set the monthly water-sharing schedule.
Meeting Participants
The meeting was chaired by S K Haldar via video conference. Representing Tamil Nadu were J Jayakandan, Secretary of the water resources department, and R Subramanian, Chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell. They presented the state's plea for the release of water as per the stipulated quantity. They informed the CWMA that the water level at the Mettur reservoir stood at 42.37 tmc on May 28, and that 1,503 cusecs of water were being discharged downstream for environmental and drinking water purposes.
Background
The Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu has been a contentious issue for decades. The Supreme Court's final award in 2018 prescribed the monthly water releases to be made by Karnataka to Tamil Nadu. The CWMA was established to oversee the implementation of the court's order and to address any disputes that arise.
