Cauvery Water Management Authority Orders Karnataka to Release Water to Tamil Nadu

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has endorsed a direction for Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for a period of 15 days starting August 12, 2026. The order follows a meeting in Delhi where the CWMA affirmed the decision of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC). Additionally, the authority directed that a total of 37 tmc ft reach Biligundlu by the end of August to account for backlogs and pro rata dues. Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated that the state will review its water availability and consult with legal experts and bureaucrats before deciding on its next course of action. He emphasized the need to protect the interests of farmers while complying with the orders. The CWMA chairperson, Saumitra Kumar Haldar, stated that Karnataka is in a comfortable position to comply based on storage, inflows, and meteorological outlooks. Karnataka has argued that its four reservoirs are under severe hydrological distress, noting that cumulative inflows are approximately 47 percent below the 30 year average. The state requested that the release be reduced to 10,000 cusecs or deferred until the end of the South west monsoon. Karnataka also contended that it had already exceeded prescribed flows at Biligundlu and that distress should be assessed across the entire basin rather than just its own reservoirs. Tamil Nadu rejected these arguments, claiming its own basin area experienced a higher rainfall deficit of 36 percent. Tamil Nadu further argued that Karnataka's practice of maintaining a full year of drinking water for Bengaluru as a contingency is not justified. While both reports cover the technical disputes, the center left source frames the event as a conflict between the authority's endorsement and Karnataka's plea for equitable distress sharing. In contrast, the center right source frames the event as Karnataka weighing its options to protect its farmers and drinking water amidst severe water stress.