CWRC Directs Karnataka to Release 4 TMC of Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu
The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has directed Karnataka to release around 4 TMC of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu over the next 15 days. The decision has triggered protests in Karnataka amid the ongoing Mekedatu project dispute.
Prasanth Subramani 
The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days, amounting to approximately 4 TMC (thousand million cubic feet). The directive comes into effect from July 29 as part of the water-sharing arrangements under the Cauvery management framework.
The decision aims to ensure that Karnataka fulfils its water-sharing obligations to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the established guidelines governing the Cauvery River. The release is expected to support irrigation and drinking water requirements in downstream regions of Tamil Nadu.
The CWRC's order has triggered widespread protests across Karnataka, with several farmer organisations and pro-Kannada groups expressing strong opposition. Protesters argue that below-normal rainfall and declining reservoir levels have raised concerns over water availability for agriculture and drinking purposes within the state.
The Karnataka government is also considering challenging the CWRC's directive before the appropriate authority, stating that the prevailing water situation requires a reassessment of the release order.
Meanwhile, the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project continues to remain a major point of contention between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the proposed project, claiming it could affect the state's rightful share of Cauvery water. Karnataka, however, maintains that the project is designed to enhance drinking water supply and improve river flow regulation without reducing downstream allocations.
The latest directive has once again brought the decades-old Cauvery water-sharing dispute into focus, with both states closely monitoring reservoir levels, rainfall patterns, and future decisions under the Cauvery water management framework.
