Cauvery Water Dispute Between TN and K’taka: SC Agrees to Constitute Bench

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to promptly establish a bench to address the ongoing Cauvery river water-sharing dispute, in which Tamil Nadu has sought Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water daily to support standing crops.

A bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud said it will constitute a bench to hear the matter after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the state of Tamil Nadu sough an urgent hearing.

The protracted dispute over water allocation from the Cauvery River has long been a contentious issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. This battle revolves around the division of water resources from the Cauvery River, which holds significance as a primary source of irrigation and drinking water for countless individuals in the region.

The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was established by the Indian government on June 2, 1990, to arbitrate disagreements between Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Puducherry concerning water distribution.

Tamil Nadu has approached the Supreme Court seeking new directives on water release. In its recent application, Tamil Nadu appeals for a mandate to Karnataka to immediately release 24,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) from its reservoirs. This release is sought to ensure an adequate supply of water at Biligundlu on the inter-state border for the remaining part of the month, to meet the demands of the standing crops.

Additionally, Tamil Nadu urges the apex court to direct Karnataka to guarantee the release of the stipulated 36.76 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) for September 2023, as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final award of February 2007, modified by the Supreme Court in 2018.

Tamil Nadu’s application also addresses Karnataka’s obligation to make up for the shortfall of 28.849 TMC water during the present irrigation year spanning from June 1 to July 31.

The plea further calls for the Cauvery Water Management Authority to ensure full compliance with the directions issued to Karnataka for releasing water to Tamil Nadu. This compliance encompasses stipulated monthly releases during the remaining period of the current water year.

The application highlights that although a direction was issued to Karnataka on August 10 to release 15,000 cusecs at Billigundulu on August 11 for 15 days.

“Unfortunately, even this quantum of water was arbitrarily reduced to 10,000 cusecs by the CWMA in its 22nd meeting held on August 11 at the instance of Karnataka. Regretfully, even this amount of 10,000 cusecs to be ensured at Billigundulu by releasing such quantum of water from the KRS and Kabini reservoirs has not been complied with by Karnataka,” the application stated.

Unfortunately, even this reduced amount has not been adhered to by Karnataka.

Tamil Nadu asserts that Karnataka’s adherence to the Tribunal’s order is necessary and that Karnataka is legally bound to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, as per the final order modified by the Supreme Court.