Cauvery row: Karnataka awaits SC hearing today before deciding next course

Karnataka will decide its next course of action on the Cauvery water release to Tamil Nadu based on the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing today, Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Wednesday, as the state objected to the latest direction to release 12,000 cusecs daily.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), which met in New Delhi on Tuesday, directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) subsequently upheld the decision.

Reddy said Karnataka would present its objections before the Supreme Court, where Tamil Nadu's petition over the Cauvery dispute is scheduled to come up today. He said Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had spoken to Karnataka's Advocate General, lawyers and experts in Delhi on the matter.

The minister said Karnataka would find it difficult to release the latest quantity, arguing that 12,000 cusecs a day for 15 days amounts to around 16 TMC, placing considerable pressure on the state's water resources.

Karnataka has around 76 TMC of water in its reservoirs, Reddy said, adding that about 36 TMC is required annually for drinking water. The state also needs water for crops and rivers and has to account for evaporation losses.

The latest direction followed an earlier July 28 CWRC order asking Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs daily for 15 days. Karnataka initially cited poor reservoir storage but began releasing water after heavy rainfall in the Cauvery catchment areas.

Reddy said Karnataka complied with the earlier direction and released additional water after the Kabini reservoir filled following rainfall. Around 10 TMC of water flowed downstream, he said, as there was no further scope for storage.

The minister maintained that the earlier 3,500-cusec requirement was more manageable, while the latest quantity was “too high” considering Karnataka's own requirements. He also pointed to poor rainfall in the old Mysuru region and low groundwater levels.

Meanwhile, farmers have staged protests in Mandya and other Cauvery basin districts against the release order, citing concerns over water availability for agriculture. Some pro-Kannada organisations have also called for a bandh today to protest the directive.

Tamil Nadu had approached the Supreme Court earlier this month, arguing that the quantity directed by the CWRC and the water released by Karnataka were insufficient. The court is expected to consider the competing claims of the two states, including Karnataka's reservoir position, drinking-water and irrigation requirements, and Tamil Nadu's demand for adequate Cauvery releases.

Reddy said Karnataka would decide whether further legal action was necessary based on the Supreme Court's response, while asserting that the government would ensure no injustice was done to the state.