Karnataka to Contest CWRC's Water Release Order to Tamil Nadu

The Karnataka government has announced its intention to contest the directive issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), which mandates the release of water to Tamil Nadu. This decision stems from concerns regarding the state's reservoir levels, which officials argue are inadequate to satisfy both drinking water needs and domestic requirements for its residents. The announcement was made following an emergency meeting led by Karnataka's Water Resources Minister, Ramalinga Reddy, on Wednesday, where the implications of the CWRC's order were thoroughly discussed.

The CWRC's directive specifically calls for Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu over a span of 15 days, as part of the established inter-state water-sharing agreement within the Cauvery basin framework. However, Karnataka officials have expressed that the current hydrological conditions do not allow for such a release without jeopardizing the state's own water security. After careful consideration during the meeting, the Karnataka government resolved to appeal to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) for a reassessment of the CWRC's orders, emphasizing that the cumulative inflows into the four primary Cauvery reservoirs are presently only at 65.86 percent of the average recorded over the past 30 years, indicating a significant shortfall in both rainfall and water availability.