NEW DELHI, August 3 — The inter-state dispute over Cauvery river water sharing escalated on Monday as the Tamil Nadu state government filed an urgent petition in the Supreme Court seeking directions to Karnataka for the immediate release of water.
In its petition, Tamil Nadu requested the court to direct Karnataka to release its allocated share of water for the month of August to save standing crops in the Cauvery delta region. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government stated that low rainfall in the river basin has reduced reservoir inflows, making full releases difficult.
The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) is reviewing water storage levels in reservoirs across both states to recommend a regulated release schedule.
Inter-state river water disputes are important polity and geography topics in competitive exams. Candidates should know that Article 262 of the Indian Constitution governs the adjudication of inter-state water disputes, and the Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in the Western Ghats of Karnataka.