Karnataka-Tamil Nadu Cauvery Row Reaches SC Over Water Release Dispute

New Delhi, Aug 16: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday, August 17, a plea by the Tamil Nadu government seeking immediate release of its due share of Cauvery water from Karnataka, as the inter-state dispute intensifies over the latest water-sharing directive.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta is expected to take up the matter. The hearing was earlier deferred to August 17 after Justice Vikram Nath fell ill.

Tamil Nadu approached the apex court earlier this month, alleging that Karnataka had failed to release its due share during a rain-deficient year. The state claimed that water released at Biligundlu between July 29 and August 2 was only 158 to 550 cusecs, despite a Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) direction to release 3,500 cusecs daily for 15 days.

Tamil Nadu also said Karnataka's four reservoirs KRS, Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathy together held 77.537 TMC as of August 3. Based on recent rainfall, it estimated that its proportionate entitlement at Biligundlu should have been 26.954 TMC, while the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had allocated only 4.536 TMC.

The dispute escalated after the CWRC directed Karnataka on August 11 to release 12,000 cusecs daily for 15 days from August 12, a decision subsequently backed by the CWMA.

Karnataka has opposed the quantum, citing its own drinking-water and irrigation requirements, and has considered approaching the Supreme Court for relief. The issue also triggered a statewide bandh on August 13 by pro-Kannada groups and farmers.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Water Resources Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy on Saturday denied allegations that water had been secretly released from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam to Tamil Nadu in June or July. BJP leaders and Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj have alleged a midnight release and demanded an investigation.

The Supreme Court hearing now assumes added significance, with both states maintaining sharply different positions on compliance, availability and the quantum of Cauvery water to be released.