CWRC Directs Karnataka to Release Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu
Context
The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day for 15 days to Tamil Nadu after reviewing reservoir conditions. Karnataka, however, maintained that low storage levels could affect compliance and indicated that it may challenge the directive.
Key Highlights
- The CWRC instructed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily for fifteen days to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the approved Cauvery water-sharing arrangement despite deficient rainfall.
- Karnataka argued that reservoir levels were inadequate and stated that the available water should primarily be reserved to meet the state’s drinking water requirements.
- Tamil Nadu contended that it had received less than its allocated share of Cauvery waters and sought strict implementation of the scheduled water release.
- The dispute once again highlights the recurring challenges of inter-state river water sharing, particularly during years of weak monsoon rainfall when agricultural and domestic water demands increase.
- The episode underscores the importance of institutional bodies such as the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) in enforcing tribunal awards and strengthening cooperative federalism.
Key Concepts
- The Cauvery River originates at Talakaveri in Karnataka and flows through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry before draining into the Bay of Bengal. It is a major source of irrigation and drinking water in southern India.
- Article 262 of the Constitution empowers Parliament to enact laws for the adjudication of inter-state river water disputes and allows the exclusion of court jurisdiction where such laws provide.
- The Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 establishes the legal framework for constituting tribunals to adjudicate disputes related to the sharing and utilisation of interstate river waters.
- Following the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment on the Cauvery dispute, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) were established to implement and oversee the final water-sharing arrangement.