Cauvery crisis: Karnataka defers TN meet, all-party meet on Aug 2, bandh on Aug 13

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Thursday directed Karnataka to immediately release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, upholding an order issued by the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) on July 28. The directive came despite Karnataka's request for a fortnight's delay, citing a deficient monsoon and severe water scarcity in the state.

Following the CWMA's decision, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar postponed the scheduled August 3 meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and convened an all-party meeting on August 2 to discuss the issue. Meanwhile, pro-Kannada groups announced a statewide bandh on August 13 to protest the water release.

The CWMA order marks the first major Cauvery water dispute encountered by the two new chief ministers, whose political parties are allies at the central level. Both leaders have emphasised the need to protect their respective states' interests, with Shivakumar stating, "If they intend to protect the interests of their state, we intend to protect the interests of our state."

Pro-Kannada groups, traditionally opposed to releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu during distress years, met on Friday afternoon and announced the bandh. Veteran Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj said, "The (CWRC) order to release water to Tamil Nadu must be strongly opposed. There will be a bandh in the whole of Karnataka on August 13 from 6 am to 6 pm. The Karnataka Film Association, the state employees association, hotel associations and others are supporting this bandh. We call for moral support from everyone and ask that no one should oppose the bandh."

Earlier this week, Shivakumar had invited Vijay to Karnataka for a meeting on the Cauvery issue on August 3 and suggested a joint aerial survey to understand the water crisis due to the deficient monsoon. On Friday, however, the Chief Minister said the meeting was postponed in light of the current situation. He also noted that an appeal had been filed before the CWMA against its ruling.

The core contention between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is the lack of a mechanism for sharing water during distress years. Both states have argued that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court orders only specify sharing norms for normal monsoons, not for periods of deficit rainfall. In the past, political parties from both states have called for the Prime Minister's intervention to create a distress-year redressal mechanism.

Shivakumar said he had discussed the issue with BJP MPs and Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, V Somanna, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai, who, he said, are making efforts for the welfare of the state. He also urged unity, saying, "The entire country must work together," in a reference to potential tensions as opposition parties in both states may seek to capitalise on the situation.

The all-party meeting scheduled for August 2 is expected to bring together representatives from various political parties in Karnataka to formulate a unified response to the CWMA's directive. The bandh on August 13 has drawn support from several associations, indicating widespread unrest over the water-sharing decision.