Cauvery water dispute: Karnataka calls all-party meet as CWMA upholds release order

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has upheld a directive requiring Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu, a decision that has prompted the Karnataka government to convene an all-party meeting on Sunday. Pro-Kannada groups have also announced a state-wide bandh on August 13 to protest the order.

The CWMA's order, issued on Thursday, confirms the earlier directive of the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) from July 28. The Karnataka government had sought a fortnight's delay in implementing the release, citing acute water distress due to a deficient monsoon. The authority, however, asked Karnataka to begin the release immediately for a period of 15 days.

The decision marks the first major Cauvery crisis for both new chief ministers — D K Shivakumar of Karnataka and Joseph Vijay of Tamil Nadu. Their parties are political allies in the Tamil Nadu government, which could add a layer of complexity to their official positions.

The CWMA's directive has triggered sharp reactions in Karnataka. On Friday afternoon, pro-Kannada activists, led by veteran campaigner Vatal Nagaraj, announced a bandh across the state on August 13 from 6 am to 6 pm. "The order to release water to Tamil Nadu must be strongly opposed," Nagaraj said. He claimed support from the Karnataka Film Association, state employees' association, hotel associations, and other bodies, urging all citizens to observe the shutdown.

Earlier this week, Chief Minister Shivakumar had invited Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay for a joint aerial survey of the Cauvery basin on August 3, to understand the ground realities of the water shortage. Pro-Kannada groups, however, have insisted that the invitation be withdrawn unless Tamil Nadu agrees to drop its demand for water release.

Following the CWMA's order, Shivakumar said an appeal has been filed against the decision. "Today, an appeal has been filed before the Cauvery Water Management Authority, and we will discuss how to take this matter forward in the all-party meeting," he said. He also noted that discussions had been held with BJP MPs and Union Ministers, including Pralhad Joshi, V Somanna, Jagadish Shettar, and Basavaraj Bommai, to ensure coordinated efforts for the state's interests.

Striking a conciliatory tone, Shivakumar said, "We have no interest in fighting with each other. There is a law of the land. We must respect one another. The entire country must work together." He reiterated his request to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to personally visit the Cauvery basin, offering helicopter arrangements for the visit. "He should witness the ground realities himself," Shivakumar said.

During the CWMA proceedings, Karnataka argued that its inflows are 65.65 per cent below the 30-year average due to the Super El Niño effect, which has caused severe hydrological distress. The state also pointed out that Tamil Nadu's main rainfall period, the northeast monsoon, begins only in October, and that Tamil Nadu already has substantial carryover storage from Karnataka's earlier releases. Karnataka asked for the CWRC directive to be kept in abeyance for a fortnight to review the evolving situation.

Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, urged the authority to maintain the scheduled release, and the CWMA sided with that position. The decades-old dispute over sharing of Cauvery water has seen periodic tensions between the two states, and this year's deficient monsoon has intensified the friction.

The all-party meeting is expected to chart the state's official response to the CWMA order, while the planned bandh signals the depth of public sentiment on the issue. The coming days will test the ability of the new governments to handle a dispute that has repeatedly defied easy resolution.