Release 2.5 TMC water to Tamil Nadu: Cauvery Management Authority directs Karnataka

CHENNAI: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Wednesday directed Karnataka to release 2.5 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet of water to Tamil Nadu for May, accepting the State’s request at its 50th meeting held in Delhi.

According to Maalaimalar, the meeting, chaired by SK Halder, was attended by officials from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry. From Tamil Nadu, the Water Resources Department Secretary and the Chairman of the Cauvery Technical Committee took part.

The Authority reviewed the inflow, storage and discharge levels in Karnataka’s reservoirs before issuing the direction. The meeting was held despite opposition from political parties.

The CWMA and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee were set up in 2018 following a Supreme Court order to facilitate the sharing of Cauvery river water among the four basin states. Since then, the Authority has convened regularly to address water-sharing issues, with this being its 50th meeting.