Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district is witnessing the closure of more than 40,000 shops in protest against Karnataka’s refusal to release Cauvery water. This protest is organized by the Cauvery Basic Protection Coalition on behalf of the Cauvery delta farmers and the Tamil Nadu agriculture sector.
Here are six important aspects to understand about the Cauvery water dispute:
- Historical Water Dispute: The Cauvery River, flowing through the southern Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, has been at the center of a long-standing and contentious water dispute. This dispute stems from historical agreements and differing water-related demands.
- Supreme Court Verdict: On February 16, 2018, the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous judgment that reduced Karnataka’s annual water releases from 192 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic Feet) to 177.25 TMC. This decision also decreased Tamil Nadu’s allocated share of water.
- Cauvery Water Management Authority: In response to the Supreme Court’s directives, on June 1, 2018, the Indian government established the Cauvery Water Management Authority to oversee the implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
- Tamil Nadu’s Appeal: On August 14, the Tamil Nadu government sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to compel Karnataka to immediately release 24,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water from its reservoirs. Tamil Nadu requested that Karnataka adhere to the release of 36.76 TMC of water, as mandated for September 2023 by the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) in 2007.
- Karnataka’s Response: Karnataka argued that decreased rainfall in the Cauvery catchment area, including parts of Kerala, had led to insufficient inflow into its reservoirs. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified that historically, whenever there was surplus water in the reservoirs, Karnataka willingly provided it to Tamil Nadu. However, this year, adverse conditions have made it impossible for Karnataka to fulfill this commitment.
- Authority’s Directive: On September 18, the Cauvery Water Management Authority reaffirmed the need for Karnataka to continue releasing 5,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water to Tamil Nadu for a period of 15 days, in accordance with the earlier order issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee on September 12. This situation underscores the ongoing challenges related to the Cauvery water dispute.