Cauvery Water Dispute: Tamil Nadu Raises Release Concerns as Karnataka Reports Over 9,000 Cusecs Discharged

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred the hearing of the ongoing Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to September 15, after Tamil Nadu urged the court to direct Karnataka to make up for the shortfall in water releases. Karnataka, however, told the court that it was already releasing more than the required 9,000 cusecs. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta asked both sides to place subsequent developments on record before the next hearing.

During the proceedings, senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, representing Tamil Nadu, argued that Karnataka had not cleared the accumulated deficit in Cauvery water releases. He referred to the Cauvery Water Management Authority's records, which had noted the shortfall. Vaidyanathan said around 24,700 acres of farmland in Tamil Nadu depend on Cauvery water and highlighted a considerable deficit in the water recorded at Biligundlu. He requested the Supreme Court to direct the authorities to reconsider Tamil Nadu's demand for the accumulated shortfall to be addressed.

Representing Karnataka, senior advocate Shyam Divan said the state had released 9,888 cusecs on August 30 against the stipulated 9,000 cusecs. He added that Karnataka was releasing more than 11,000 cusecs on Monday and would make efforts to maintain the required 9,000-cusec release. The bench noted that Karnataka had increased its water release from 11,000 cusecs to 12,000 cusecs from August 12. When Tamil Nadu pressed its demand for the backlog to be considered, the court observed that Karnataka was already releasing the 9,000 cusecs currently being sought by Tamil Nadu.

The court also said that any challenge to a decision of the Cauvery Water Management Authority would have to be raised before the appropriate forum. Vaidyanathan pointed out that Tamil Nadu had filed a review before the authority on August 27 and requested reconsideration of the state's demand. The Supreme Court observed that the authorities were already examining the matter and issuing orders every 15 days. It said the next CWMA decision could take into account the submissions made by both states.

Tamil Nadu had earlier approached the Supreme Court seeking enforcement of a CWMA direction requiring Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for 15 days. The state government filed its plea on August 3, challenging the alleged non-implementation of the authority's July 30 order concerning water releases from Karnataka's Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagara reservoirs.

Tamil Nadu sought a total release of 4.536 TMC, equivalent to 3,500 cusecs per day for 15 days, and requested that the stipulated quantity be released by August 12. The dispute has also been taken up by the DMK, which sought directions from the Supreme Court for Karnataka to immediately comply with the February 16, 2018 judgment and subsequent directions issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee and the CWMA.

The DMK referred to the CWRC's July 28, 2026 direction, later upheld by the CWMA on July 30, requiring Karnataka to ensure a daily flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu for 15 days starting July 29. The party also sought closer monitoring of releases from Karnataka's reservoirs and the flow recorded at Biligundlu, along with regular compliance reports to the Supreme Court. The Cauvery dispute has remained a longstanding source of tension between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with disagreements over water releases frequently resurfacing during periods of agricultural demand and changing reservoir levels. The Supreme Court will hear the matter again on September 15.