The Cauvery water dispute is 200 years old. Despite the Supreme Court ruling in 2018, the dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu did not end. This time the problem arose due to less rainfall in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. On the orders of the Supreme Court and on the request of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka had to release Cauvery water, so that drinking water crisis does not arise in Tamil Nadu. This was enough for the opposition in Karnataka. Pro-Kannada organizations, farmer organizations and labor unions associated with BJP-JDS announced a Bengaluru bandh on September 26. According to the Indian Express, the Supreme Court on September 21 had asked Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water per day. Court’s order but BJP and JDS cornered the Congress government of Karnataka.
The argument of the pro-BJP-JDS protesters is different this time. He says water is being released for Tamil Nadu, while the storage levels in the reservoirs of the Cauvery basin in Karnataka are very low. Kaveri is the main source of drinking water for Bengaluru city and irrigation of agriculture in the Mandya region of the state.
The Supreme Court had ordered the formation of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) in 2018. This authority monitors the implementation of the orders of the Supreme Court. This authority works under the central government. This authority works to resolve disputes between the two states. That is, the work of regulating Kaveri water is done by the central authority. But all the complaints of the agitators are against the Karnataka government.
