The ongoing Cauvery water dispute between the southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has taken a new turn, with Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Minister, Duraimurugan, warning that the state will approach the Supreme Court if Karnataka does not release the stipulated amount of water. This development comes as the two states continue to grapple with the allocation of the Cauvery River’s water resources.
Tamil Nadu has long been demanding its rightful share of Cauvery water, and Minister Duraimurugan’s statement on Tuesday made it clear that they are ready to pursue legal avenues if necessary. The minister expressed frustration with the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) and the perceived lack of action from the Union government in addressing the issue.
“We have asked for 16,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water daily for 15 days,” Duraimurugan stated. “But, the CWRC recommended that Karnataka release only 2,600 cusecs. We will appeal to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to release the full amount. If justice is not delivered there, we will take a legal course of action and file a case in the Supreme Court.”
The dispute has strained relations between the two states, with Duraimurugan going as far as to accuse Karnataka of acting like an “enemy state” and not fulfilling its obligations to share Cauvery water with Tamil Nadu. He criticized Karnataka’s leaders for what he saw as a failure to understand and abide by the verdict of the nation’s top court.
Under the Supreme Court’s verdict, Karnataka was required to release 140 thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of water between June 1 and October 26. However, as of the current date, they have only released 56.4 tmc. This shortfall has left Tamil Nadu waiting for its due share of 83.705 tmc for the period. According to the prorate basis, Karnataka was obligated to release 13.03 tmc, but they have only released 3.41 tmc so far.