Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy directs officials to challenge Tamil Nadu plea in SC over Cauvery water release
Bengaluru, August 3
Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday directed department officials and legal counsel to challenge a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government in the Supreme Court alleging that Karnataka violated the Cauvery Water Management Authority order.
The State government will file an appeal against Tamil Nadu's petition, Reddy said.
The minister also noted that dams in Karnataka are already full and excess water is currently flowing out and reaching Tamil Nadu.
The development comes amid ongoing disputes between the two States over sharing of Cauvery water and compliance with CWMA directives.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay instructed the State government to approach the Supreme Court after Karnataka failed to release the mandated share of Cauvery water despite directions issued by the CWMA and CWRC.
At its 139th meeting held on July 28, the CWRC, after assessing the hydrological and meteorological conditions in the Cauvery basin, directed Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,500 cusecs of water at Biligundlu from July 29 to August 12, by releasing water from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs. The decision was subsequently ratified at the 54th emergency meeting of the CWMA held on July 30.
However, the Tamil Nadu government said that between July 29 and August 2, the actual inflow at Biligundlu ranged only between 158 and 550 cusecs, far below the quantity ordered by the authorities.
As of August 2026, Karnataka's reservoirs held substantial water storage, including 23.078 TMC in the KRS reservoir, 18.610 TMC in Kabini, 7.827 TMC in Harangi and 28.022 TMC in Hemavathi, taking the total storage to 77.537 TMC, with a usable storage of 67.517 TMC. The Tamil Nadu government argued that Karnataka therefore faces no difficulty in releasing Tamil Nadu's due share of water on a proportionate basis.
The Cauvery water dispute is a long-running inter-state river water-sharing conflict with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu being the principal parties. The dispute revolves around how the waters of the Cauvery River should be shared, particularly during years of low rainfall.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Our farmers in Karnataka are equally dependent on Cauvery water. It's not like we have surplus water sitting idle. If the dams are full and excess water is flowing out, that should count as release. Tamil Nadu keeps demanding more, but what about our standing crops in Mandya and Mysuru? Both states need to be reasonable. 🤔
It's disheartening to see two states of the same country fighting over water. As someone following this issue from abroad, I think India needs better national-level water management policies. But also, if the court orders, both states should follow them to the letter. The CWMA was created specifically to handle these disputes.
The fact that Karnataka's reservoirs hold 77 TMC while Tamil Nadu gets barely 500 cusecs is problematic. But let's not forget the historical injustice too - Karnataka has been releasing more than its fair share in the past. The problem is both governments use this as a political tool to win votes in their regions. Farmers on both sides suffer while politicians score points.
Living in Bengaluru, I see water scarcity here every summer. We can't just ignore Karnataka's own needs. The dams being full is good news - but excess water flowing out naturally shouldn't be counted as a "release" when it's just due to heavy rainfall. The authorities should calculate properly before passing judgments on either side.
This feud has been going on for over 100 years and every generation of politicians manages to keep it alive. When will we learn to share resources sensibly?
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.