Karnataka to move Supreme Court over Cauvery

Water Resources Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said on Wednesday that preparations were under way to challenge the orders issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and subsequently upheld by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

The CWMA, at its meeting in Delhi on Tuesday, endorsed the CWRC recommendation for the release of 6,000 cusecs from September 9. The latest direction came after Tamil Nadu sought a higher quantum of water amid concerns over supplies for its Cauvery delta region.

Karnataka has strongly opposed the order, arguing that its own Cauvery basin is facing severe water stress. State officials have pointed to falling inflows and critically placed reservoirs, saying priority must be given to drinking-water requirements and local needs.

According to state figures cited during the discussions, inflows into the Cauvery basin had fallen sharply in recent days. Karnataka has also maintained that a substantial portion of its Cauvery basin is experiencing drought conditions.

Chaluvarayaswamy said the matter had been discussed with Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and the state’s legal team was preparing the Supreme Court petition. The government is also considering further legal and administrative measures to contest the water-sharing directive.

The latest development is expected to intensify the longstanding Cauvery dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, particularly during periods of inadequate rainfall and declining reservoir levels.

The Supreme Court challenge will now determine Karnataka’s next legal course in response to the water-release order.