Cauvery panel directs Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu for 15 days

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Aug 25, 2026: The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on Monday directed Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from Tuesday.

At a meeting chaired by Vineet Gupta, the committee reviewed rainfall, reservoir storage and crop conditions in the Cauvery basin and directed Karnataka to ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs at Biligundulu from 8 am on August 25. Karnataka will have to release a total of 11.66 TMC of water from its Cauvery basin reservoirs during the period, sources said.

Karnataka informed the committee that cumulative inflows into its four Cauvery reservoirs were around 49.18% below the 30-year average. Combined inflows in the state’s portion of the basin had fallen sharply from 77,048 cusecs to 9,282 cusecs, making it difficult to maintain the earlier direction of 12,000 cusecs per day at Biligundulu.

The state said it had complied with the previous CWRC order. Between July 29 and August 23, Biligundulu recorded 2,16,993 cusecs against the ordered cumulative release of 1,84,500 cusecs, resulting in an excess of 32,493 cusecs.

Karnataka also cited severe irrigation constraints. Against a distress-adjusted Kharif requirement of 56.67 TMC, only 5.06 TMC had been released so far. The state said it needed to reserve around 38 TMC for drinking water and another 10 TMC for environmental flows, apart from irrigation and evaporation requirements.

Karnataka argued that Tamil Nadu had substantial storage in the Mettur reservoir, groundwater reserves and expected inflows from the intermediate catchment and northeast monsoon. It also said Kuruvai cultivation had expanded significantly in Tamil Nadu despite the prevailing distress, and urged equitable sharing of the water shortage across the Cauvery basin.

Karnataka sought a reduction in the mandatory release to 6,000 cusecs per day until August 27 and requested that no further releases be ordered thereafter, citing continuing water scarcity.

Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, urged the CWRC to direct Karnataka to make good an alleged shortfall of 17.49 TMC as of August 23. It sought continued regulated releases from the Krishnarajasagara (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs to maintain the required flow at Biligundulu.

Tamil Nadu also sought a total realisation of 28.386 TMC at Biligundulu between August 24 and September 7, 2026, sources said.