Top court asks Karnataka to adhere to CWMA water-release directions
The Supreme Court on Monday directed Karnataka to abide by the orders issued by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) concerning the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, and posted Tamil Nadu's petition for hearing on August 24. The court said the matter could be taken up then so that an updated position on water released by Karnataka is placed before it.
Tamil Nadu had moved the apex court on August 3, saying it was not getting its apportioned share of Cauvery water in a year of deficient rainfall. The state told the court that both the volume recommended by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the flows recorded downstream were significantly lower than required.
Discrepancy between directed and recorded flows at Biligundlu
At a CWRC meeting on July 28, Karnataka was directed to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days beginning July 29. Tamil Nadu, however, said flows measured at Biligundlu on the inter-state border ranged between 158 cusecs and 550 cusecs from July 29 to August 2, well below the instructed rate.
"The actual flow recorded at Biligundlu...ranged between 158 and 550 cusecs," a Tamil Nadu government statement said.
The southern state further said that recent rainfall in KRS and Kabini catchments had increased inflows into reservoirs located within Karnataka, and that the proportionate share due at Biligundlu should be 26.954 TMC.
Reservoir storage cited by Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu cited combined storage figures for four reservoirs in Karnataka — Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS), Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathy — saying that as of August 3 their cumulative storage stood at 77.537 TMC. The state argued that this available volume indicated Karnataka could supply its due share without difficulty.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Proportionate share claimed at Biligundlu | 26.954 TMC |
| CWRC-directed release (from July 29) | 3,500 cusecs for 15 days |
| Observed flow at Biligundlu (July 29–Aug 2) | 158–550 cusecs |
| Combined storage in KRS, Kabini, Harangi, Hemavathy (Aug 3) | 77.537 TMC |
Context and local impact
The CWMA and CWRC were constituted under the 2018 revised framework for managing Cauvery releases after protracted litigation and inter-state disputes. Orders from these bodies are intended to provide an operational mechanism to apportion flows among riparian states, especially during years of deficient rainfall.
For Karnataka, compliance with CWMA directions carries immediate implications for irrigation, drinking water supplies and reservoir management across districts dependent on the Cauvery system, including Mandya, Mysuru, Hassan and Kodagu. For Tamil Nadu, timely releases are critical for paddy transplantation, drinking water in Tamil Nadu border districts and maintenance of downstream ecosystems.
- Legal trajectory: The Supreme Court will review the status of releases on August 24; updated flow data from Karnataka is to be placed for the court’s consideration.
- Operational tension: Karnataka must balance reservoir storage and supply obligations while responding to CWMA directions and local water needs.
- Stakeholder scrutiny: Farmers, municipal authorities and state water departments in both states will be monitoring flows and reservoir levels ahead of the next hearing.
The court’s order does not change the schedule of inter-state hydrology assessments but reinforces that CWMA directives are to be followed unless set aside by a judicial forum. The apex court’s direction to comply effectively places the onus on Karnataka to ensure that releases ordered by the CWMA are executed and that accurate, verifiable flow measurements are made available at points such as Biligundlu.
With the issue before the Supreme Court, both states may present updated hydrograph and reservoir data when the matter is next listed. The August date will allow the court to examine whether the flows recorded at the border match the volumes Karnataka was directed to release and to consider any operational constraints cited by Karnataka in complying with CWMA orders.
Further developments will be reported as they are placed before the court and in official statements by the concerned state governments and the CWMA.
