Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that the state government will appeal the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) order to release 1 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) of water to Tamil Nadu every day. The announcement came after a high-level meeting with ministers and senior officials at Home Office Krishna.
Siddaramaiah emphasized the state’s need to reassess the order due to insufficient rainfall and water levels in the Cauvery river basin. “It was expressed in today’s meeting that the government should file an appeal against this order before the Cauvery Water Management Authority,” he said.
An all-party meeting has been scheduled for July 14 at 4 pm to decide on the next course of action. Siddaramaiah stressed the importance of unity among all political factions in Karnataka on the issue of water sharing. Union Ministers, members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and MLAs from the concerned areas will also be invited to the meeting. “Taking everyone into confidence, the next step of the government will be decided,” Siddaramaiah added.
Despite forecasts predicting normal rainfall, Karnataka is currently experiencing a 28 percent shortfall in water inflow to its four dams in the Cauvery basin. Siddaramaiah highlighted this deficit in his discussion with the CWMA. “We requested not to make any decision till the end of July. However, CWMA has said to release one TMC of water every day from July 12,” he said.
The water currently being released into Tamil Nadu is equivalent to the inflow into the Kabini dam, with 5,000 cusecs being measured at Biligundlu. Siddaramaiah pointed out that only 60 percent of water is available in the Cauvery Basin reservoirs, and the state needs to ensure sufficient water for its agricultural activities.
The longstanding dispute over Cauvery water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu continues to be a critical issue. The river serves as a vital resource for both states, supporting agriculture and daily water needs. The Central government established the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on June 2, 1990, to resolve conflicts among Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Puducherry regarding their respective water-sharing capabilities.
Sources By Agencies