In a decisive move aimed at addressing the pressing water crisis in Tamil Nadu, the state government has announced its intention to approach the Supreme Court against the Karnataka government’s refusal to release Cauvery river water.Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan underscored the state’s resolve to seek judicial intervention, citing Karnataka’s persistent reluctance to adhere to directives regarding water release. Murugan highlighted Karnataka’s disregard for both the recommendations of the Cauvery Water Management Board and the Central government, emphasizing the need for Supreme Court scrutiny to compel compliance.
“Has the Karnataka Government said anytime that they will release (Cauvery) water? No! Be it excess water or scarcity of water there. Even after Cauvery Water Management Board has recommended the release of water, they have refused,” Murugan asserted, outlining the basis for Tamil Nadu’s legal recourse.
The decision to pursue legal action comes in the wake of recommendations from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) for the release of 2.5 Thousand Million Cubic (TMC) feet of water to Tamil Nadu for the month of May. With Tamil Nadu grappling with a severe water shortage exacerbated by extreme summer conditions, the timely release of water is deemed critical to alleviate the crisis.
This latest development echoes previous challenges in water management between the two states, with Karnataka expressing its ‘inability’ to comply with directives from the CWRC due to purported water scarcity in the Cauvery basin. Despite recommendations from the CWRC in October to release 2,600 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for a specified period, Karnataka’s stance remained unchanged, further exacerbating tensions over water sharing.