Karnataka reviews Cauvery water release order amid severe water stress

Karnataka's Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Tuesday that the state will thoroughly review its water availability before complying with an order to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. The directive was issued by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) during its 55th meeting.

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Further action will be taken regarding the order of the Cauvery Water Control Committee (CWRC) to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu after a thorough review of the state’s water situation.

The CWMA also mandated that Karnataka ensure a total of 37 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) reaches Biligundlu by the end of August, accounting for accumulated backlogs and water due between August 13 and August 31. Shivakumar stated that further action would be taken after a comprehensive assessment of the state's water situation, emphasizing the government's commitment to protecting farmers' interests while adhering to court orders.

Karnataka's position is that its four Cauvery reservoirs are experiencing severe hydrological stress. The reservoirs have received approximately 77.746 TMC, which is about 47% below the 30-year average, and inflows are declining. The state contends that further releases would jeopardize water supplies for drinking, essential uses, and the upcoming Kharif agricultural season. Karnataka also claims it has already exceeded the prescribed flow at Biligundlu, with substantial additional flow in transit.

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Our duty is to protect farmers. Farmers’ interests should be protected and court orders should be followed.

To address the water scarcity, Karnataka proposed either postponing the release decision or reducing the mandated flow from 12,000 to 10,000 cusecs. The state argued that water distress should be assessed across the entire Cauvery basin, not just through inflows into its reservoirs. They also requested data on water levels at the Lower Coleroon Anicut (LCA) and the establishment of independent gauging stations for a more reliable basin-wide water balance. The government is closely monitoring river inflows and plans to hold local meetings with farmers to discuss crop cultivation strategies based on water storage levels in all reservoirs, including Tungabhadra and Almatti.

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Given deficient monsoon, dwindling inflows and limited storage, Karnataka needs to conserve water for drinking, essential uses and Kharif agriculture.