Cauvery water dispute: SC to hear on August 13 pleas urging direction to Karnataka to release water to TN

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it will hear on August 13 Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking enforcement of a decision by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directing Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for 15 days.

The matter was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana by senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government. The CJI agreed to list the application for hearing on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu government approached the top court on August 3, challenging the non-implementation of the CWMA’s July 30 direction for the release of water from Karnataka’s Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagara reservoirs. The state has sought a total release of 4.536 TMC of water, corresponding to 3,500 cusecs per day over 15 days. It has urged that the stipulated quantity be released by August 12.

It sought directions to resolve the issue and ensure that Tamil Nadu receives its rightful share of Cauvery water within the stipulated time.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the opposition party in the state, had also approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Karnataka government immediately release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the February 16, 2018 judgment of the apex court and subsequent directions issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

In an application filed in the long-pending Cauvery water dispute, the DMK, represented by its Farmers Wing Secretary AKS Vijayan, sought enforcement of the CWRC’s July 28, 2026 direction, upheld by the CWMA on July 30, 2026, requiring Karnataka to ensure a flow of 3,500 cusecs per day at Biligundlu for 15 days commencing July 29.

The application sought direction to the CWMA to monitor the releases from the reservoirs of Karnataka and the flows realised at Biligundlu on a day-to-day basis and to report compliance to the apex court. The DMK contended that Karnataka has failed to comply with the binding directions despite their affirmation by the statutory authorities constituted under the Cauvery Water Management Scheme, 2018.

The applications come against the backdrop of the long-running dispute between the two states over the sharing of Cauvery river waters. (ANI)