The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has directed the state of Karnataka to release 9.19 tmcft of water from the Biligundlu reservoir to the Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu during the month of June. This order is part of the Cauvery Water Management Scheme, which was approved by the Central Government in June. The scheme led to the establishment of the ‘Cauvery Water Management Authority’ and the ‘Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’, primarily to enforce the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
The Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 gave the Central Government authority to form the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, which was established on 2nd June, 1990. The tribunal adjudicated the water dispute surrounding the inter-state river Cauvery and its river valley among the regions of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Provisions in the Supreme Court Order
According to the Supreme Court’s verdict, issued on 16th February, 2018, the CWMA received the mandate to decide on the distribution of the Cauvery water. It detailed that Karnataka’s share is 284 tmcft, Tamil Nadu’s is 404 tmcft, Kerala gets 30 tmcft and Puducherry receives 7 tmcft. Apart from this allocation, the court reserved 10 tmcft for maintaining environmental balance, while 4 tmcft was set aside for organic flow into the sea.
Implications of the CWMA’s Direction
Since 2011, due to deficient rainfall and late arrival of water from the Cauvery river, the gates of the Mettur Dam, scheduled to open annually on June 12 for the Kuruvai (Paddy) cultivation, have remained closed. The recent directive by the CWMA has reignited hopes of resuming Kuruvai cultivation among farmers in Tamil Nadu. Concurrently, several parts of Tamil Nadu are wrestling with severe water scarcity. The Centre issued a drought advisory to the state last week following declining water levels in its reservoirs.
About Cauvery River
| Origin | Flow Direction | Tributaries |
|---|---|---|
| Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in southwestern Karnataka | Flows in a southeasterly direction through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and descends the Eastern Ghats in a series of great falls | Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana Theertha, Shimsa, Kabini, Harangi |
Cauvery Water Dispute and Its Implications
The Cauvery water dispute continues to be a source of significant tension between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The CWMA’s recent directive, in line with the Supreme Court order, is an attempt to mitigate this longstanding dispute by distributing water equitably to all the involved regions. However, the issue remains contentious due to varying factors such as rainfall, agricultural needs and population demands, all of which continue to influence the dynamics of water distribution in South India.
