The Cauvery water sharing dispute has been a bone of contention between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu since the British Raj
A bandh was called in Karnataka on September 26, 2023, to protest the sharing of Cauvery river waters with Tamil Nadu. Shops, schools and transportations were closed down in cities like Mandya, Malavalli, and KR Pete due to fear of violence.
All areas in these places experienced protests in various forms such as processions, squatting on the roads, and many more. Two hundred people were arrested for trying to enter the Raj Bhavan. They belonged to the Kannada activist associations of Bengaluru city, led by veteran pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj.
But one must wonder about the main cause of protest among the states. The Cauvery water sharing dispute has been a bone of contention between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu since the British Raj. Many districts of both states are dependent on the Cauvery river for irrigation.
According to the agreement in 1924, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry would get 75 per cent of the surplus water, while Karnataka would get 23 per cent. The remaining would go to Kerala. There were also restrictions on how much land could be irrigated.
The issue of water sharing became a real problem after the reorganisation of Indian states in 1956. Karnataka argued that since the 50-year time period of the 1924 agreement ended in 1974, the state was not obliged to stick to the regulations, especially since the river originated in its territory.
This became a huge problem for Tamil Nadu as it depended on the Cauvery for a huge chunk of its area under agriculture. In May 1992, a lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court where the Karnataka government suggested that states should follow international norms to divide water in equal portions.
They further suggested the states could share 47 per cent each of water and the rest could be supplied equally between Kerala and Puducherry. After a lot of to-and-fro on the issue, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) gave out its final award in 2007.
In a normal year, the CWDT ordered that Karnataka has to release to Tamil Nadu 192 Thousand Million Cubic Feet (TMC) in monthly deliveries at the interstate border, Biligundlu. This comprises 182 TMC from the allocated share of Tamil Nadu, including 10 TMC for environmental purposes.
In a distress year, the tribunal order stated that the allocated shares shall be proportionately reduced among Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The lack of clarity on the sharing of water during a distress year is one of the reasons for the dispute.
In the latest development, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has ordered Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water from Biligundlu, effective from September 28 to October 15, 2023, marking a reduction from the previous release of 5,000 cusecs.
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