Cauvery row: Karnataka CM calls all-party-style meet amid Tamil Nadu water demand

Bengaluru: Chief minister DK Shivakumar will hold a meeting with ministers, 15 Congress leaders, senior officials and legal experts on Wednesday to discuss the state's response to the fresh directive from the Cauvery Water Management Authority to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

The CWMA on Tuesday affirmed the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's order directing Karnataka to ensure 12,000 cusecs at Biligundlu from 8 am on Wednesday for 15 days. The state cabinet will meet on Thursday to discuss the issue. Karnataka had sought a review of the order, citing severe hydrological stress. It told the authority that its four Cauvery reservoirs had received 77.746 TMC ft, about 47% below the 30-year average, with inflows declining.

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The state also said it had already ensured 86,942 cusecs at Biligundlu against the prescribed 52,500 cusecs. It sought to reduce the mandated release to 10,000 cusecs and review further releases based on monsoon conditions and end-season storage. Tamil Nadu, however, argued that Karnataka's water stress did not justify withholding its share. It pointed to a 9% rainfall deficit upstream of Krishna Raja Sagara dam and 19% upstream of Kabini between June 1 and August 10. The deficit downstream of Biligundlu was 36%, according to the IMD data cited by Tamil Nadu.

The fresh order puts Shivakumar's government under political pressure. The CM has appealed to pro-Kannada organisations to withdraw their proposed August 13 bandh over the Cauvery issue.