Cauvery Water Dispute: CWRC Recommends Karnataka Release 12,000 Cusecs Daily to

Cauvery Water Dispute: In a fresh development in the Cauvery water-sharing dispute, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has recommended that Karnataka release 12,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days. The recommendation was made during the CWRC meeting held on Tuesday.

Following the committee’s recommendation, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) is scheduled to meet in New Delhi later in the day, where a final decision on the water release is expected. The recommendation comes even as Karnataka continues to face concerns over below-normal rainfall and water availability.

Karnataka Officials Express Strong Objection:

Karnataka officials reportedly voiced strong opposition during the CWRC meeting, arguing that the state itself is experiencing a severe water shortage. Officials questioned how Karnataka could release nearly 1 TMC of water every day when rainfall has been significantly below expectations and reservoirs are under stress. They maintained that releasing such a large quantity of water under the current conditions would not be feasible.

Karnataka’s Stand

Karnataka presented several arguments before the committee:

The combined inflow into the state’s four Cauvery reservoirs is 77.74 TMC, which is 47% lower than the 30-year average.

As of August 10, the flow recorded at Biligundlu was 86,942 cusecs, exceeding the stipulated 52,500 cusecs.

Due to deficient rainfall and uncertain future inflows, the state argued that it cannot commit to releasing additional water.

Karnataka said the available storage must be preserved to meet drinking water requirements, essential domestic needs, and irrigation demands.

The state urged authorities to consider actual rainfall, reservoir inflows, and prevailing weather conditions, rather than relying solely on a fixed proportional water-sharing formula.

It also requested a comprehensive assessment of the basin’s distress conditions up to the Lower Catchment Area (LCA), supported by independent daily hydrological data and gauging stations.

Karnataka further requested that any decision on additional water release be postponed until the progress of the monsoon and reservoir levels can be reviewed.

Karnataka Says It Already Released More Water Than Ordered

Karnataka also pointed out that it had complied with the previous CWMA directive despite difficult conditions.

Under the earlier order, the state had been asked to release 4.5 TMC of water over 15 days. However, Karnataka claims it released approximately 7.5 TMC, about 3 TMC more than required, mainly because excess water from the Kabini Reservoir flowed downstream.

Despite this, the fresh recommendation to release more water has triggered strong reactions in Karnataka, with many expressing concern over the state’s own water security amid an uncertain monsoon.