DMK Urges SC to Direct Karnataka to Release Cauvery Water as Per 2018 Verdict

The DMK on Saturday approached the Supreme Court, seeking directions to the Karnataka government for the immediate release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in line with the apex court's 2018 final verdict and recent orders issued by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

In its petition, the party requested the court to direct Karnataka to implement the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) recommendation dated July 28, 2026, which was upheld by the CWMA on July 30. The plea seeks the release of 3,500 cusecs of water per day at Biligundlu for 15 days, along with compensation for any shortfall in releases from July 29 onwards.

The petition also urged the court to instruct Karnataka to clear the accumulated backlog of approximately 9.46 TMC due at Biligundlu as of July 26, 2026, by ensuring water releases that would result in about 7,000 cusecs per day reaching the inter-state measurement point over a 15-day period.

Additionally, the DMK sought directions to the CWMA to closely monitor reservoir releases in Karnataka and the water flow at Biligundlu on a day-to-day basis, submitting compliance reports to the court.

The CWMA had recently upheld the CWRC's recommendation that Karnataka release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

The Cauvery Water Management Authority, constituted by the Centre in 2018, oversees the implementation of the Supreme Court's judgment on water sharing among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry.