Karnataka: Mandya farmers protest against CWRC recommendations over Cauvery water release to Tamil Nadu

Mandya (Karnataka) [India], August 11 (ANI): The long-standing Cauvery water dispute flared up on Tuesday as farmers in Karnataka's Mandya district staged protests on roads, strongly condemning the recent recommendations made by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).
Protesting farmers dismissed the panel's directives as a "death warrant." They criticised the order for being drafted by individuals with no understanding of the ground reality.
Demanding immediate intervention, the farming community called on the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to keep the recommendation in abeyance.
"If 16 TMC of water is released in 15 days, what will the people of the state do?" the farmers questioned.
"If a decision is not taken, it will be like a death warrant for us. We urge the government to take a firm decision on this immediately," a protestor said.
The protestors took to the streets, blocking vehicles and lying on the road to showcase their anger over the situation.


Issuing a direct appeal to the state leadership, the protesters urged Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to stand firm. "Under no circumstances should water be released to Tamil Nadu. Please protect the interests of the farmers of the state," they said.
Shivakumar had earlier said Karnataka would continue to respect the Supreme Court's orders and the law while protecting the state's interests. Referring to the CWMA, Shivakumar said the state was complying with the order despite the difficult situation arising from deficient rainfall.
At its 139th meeting held on July 28, 2026, the CWRC, after assessing the hydrological and meteorological conditions in the Cauvery basin, directed Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,500 cusecs of water at Biligundlu from July 29 to August 12, by releasing water from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs. The decision was subsequently ratified at the 54th emergency meeting of the CWMA held on July 30.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to ensure the release of Cauvery water to the State, following the alleged failure of the Karnataka government to comply with the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).
According to an official release, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay instructed the State government to approach the Supreme Court after Karnataka failed to release the mandated share of Cauvery water despite directions issued by the CWMA and CWRC.
The dispute has created tensions in both states as farmers in Tamil Nadu, earlier in August, staged an unusual protest on the banks of the Cauvery River in Tiruchirappalli, burying themselves in sand to demand the immediate release of Cauvery water for irrigation.
The demonstration was led by Farmers' Association leader Ayya Kannu, during which the protesting farmers said that despite repeated appeals for water to save the Kuruvai crop, Karnataka has not released Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
The Cauvery water dispute is a long-running inter-state river water-sharing conflict with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu being the principal parties. The dispute revolves around how the waters of the Cauvery River should be shared, particularly during years of low rainfall.
The issue resurfaced amid developments concerning the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, proposed by Karnataka. It has been a major point of friction between the two states, with Tamil Nadu traditionally opposing it on the grounds that it would affect the flow of water downstream. (ANI)