Tamil Nadu has approached the Supreme Court for urgent directions to Karnataka to release its share of Cauvery river water, as water is not available in Mettur reservoir and farmers are affected by the shortage. Tamil Nadu is asking the court to make sure Karnataka complies with the judicial directions and decisions of the CWMA.
In the application filed in the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu has sought the implementation of the CWMA decision made on 8 September 2026, which called for Karnataka to supply 6,000 cusecs of water from 9 September to 23 September. The state also asked Karnataka to remedy the shortfalls that have been accrued during the current irrigation year.
Tamil Nadu has sought the release of 16.01 TMC of water at Billigundulu on a pro-rata basis. The state has maintained the pending water requirement is especially important as its available storage in Mettur reservoir is limited and can support irrigation for only a few more weeks.
The Mettur reservoir plays a central role in Tamil Nadu’s delta farming and the management of Cauvery water for irrigation. The state said the reservoir could only be opened on September 1st and that the water at present could be used for irrigation only for around 25 to 30 days. Tamil Nadu has now appealed for intervention soon to avoid further disruption to farming.
The state government has highlighted the impact of the water shortage on the Kuruvai and Samba crops. Tamil Nadu’s application says that the Kuruvai crop has already suffered because the Mettur reservoir was not opened in June. The state also said that a significant area could not be brought under irrigation for the Samba crop because of the delayed opening of the reservoir.
Tamil Nadu has described the Cauvery as the lifeline for the state and a great deal of agriculture in Tamil Nadu depends on the river’s waters. The government has said non-compliance with the water releases prescribed by the Cauvery’s water release policy could cause serious consequences for farmers over the Cauvery basin.
The application also says the state requires the backlog of more than 16 TMC to be addressed. Tamil Nadu has warned that without the release, irrigation and the overall water requirements during the ongoing agricultural season will be affected.
The state has also raised issues of compliance with orders issued by the Supreme Court and CWMA. Tamil Nadu has alleged that Karnataka and its officials have not yet fully complied with the statutory authority and previous court orders. Any failure to implement the prescribed releases could be a breach of the Supreme Court's decree.
The Cauvery water-sharing issue has long been an interstate dispute between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry. Water releases are particularly heated during periods of reservoir depletion and rainfall, creating pressure on the available supply. The CWMA and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee are responsible for monitoring releases and implementing the water-sharing system.
Tamil Nadu’s current application is once again about the established water-sharing arrangements and not a new one. The state has asked the Supreme Court to intervene immediately, given the limited storage at Mettur and the immediate needs of farmers dependent on Cauvery irrigation.
The plea also comes at the start of the agricultural season when Tamil Nadu has expressed concern that further delays in the supply of water and crop cultivation along the Cauvery delta should be avoided as the state’s investment (crops and irrigation) will be affected. The Supreme Court's decision on the application will determine the next steps regarding the water release and compliance with the existing directions.
