Cauvery Dispute: Karnataka To Challenge Tamil Nadu's Supreme Court Plea Over Water Release
Cauvery Dispute: Karnataka To Challenge Tamil Nadu's Supreme Court Plea Over Water Release Published By, Last Updated: August 03, 2026, 23:04 IST The petition alleges
Cauvery Dispute: Karnataka To Challenge Tamil Nadu's Supreme Court Plea Over Water Release Published By, Last Updated: August 03, 2026, 23:04 IST The petition alleges that Karnataka failed to comply with the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order on water release. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has recently instructed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. (Photo: PTI file) Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday directed department officials and legal counsel to contest the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government over the release of Cauvery water, escalating the long-running dispute between the two southern States. The petition alleges that Karnataka failed to comply with the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order on water release.
Reddy said the State government would file an appeal against Tamil Nadu’s plea. He also maintained that Karnataka’s dams are already full and that excess water is flowing downstream into Tamil Nadu. The legal move comes amid renewed tensions over the sharing of Cauvery water and compliance with directions issued by the CWMA and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC). Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay had instructed the State government to approach the Supreme Court after alleging that Karnataka failed to release the State’s mandated share of water despite orders from the CWMA and CWRC. At its 139th meeting on July 28, the CWRC directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water at Biligundlu from July 29 to August 12 by releasing water from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs.
The decision was later ratified by the CWMA at its 54th emergency meeting on July 30. However, Tamil Nadu claimed that the actual inflow at Biligundlu between July 29 and August 2 ranged from just 158 to 550 cusecs, well below the quantity ordered by the authorities. The State also argued that Karnataka has sufficient water in its reservoirs, with total storage standing at 77.537 TMC as of August 2026, including water in the KRS, Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathi reservoirs. The Cauvery dispute remains one of India’s longest-running inter-state river water-sharing conflicts, with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu frequently at odds over water allocation, especially during periods of low rainfall. (With inputs from ANI) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
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