The 51st meeting of the Cauvery Management Authority (CMA) is set to take place in New Delhi on Tuesday. Discussions will focus on the release of Cauvery River water to Tamil Nadu and the unresolved Mekedatu dam issue. This meeting is crucial as Tamil Nadu farmers are worried about water availability before the Kuruvai cultivation season.
Chaired by CMA Chairman S.K. Haldar, the meeting will gather representatives from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry. These states and union territory are involved in the Cauvery River water-sharing arrangement. The Cauvery Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee were established by the Central government as per the Supreme Court’s directives to manage the sharing and regulation of Cauvery River water among the basin states.
Each state has appointed representatives to both institutions. The meeting holds significance as Tamil Nadu typically requires water from Karnataka for the Kuruvai paddy cultivation season starting in June. Concerns have been raised by farmers due to the absence of a formal order for water release.
Discussions at the meeting will include monthly water release obligations from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu under the Cauvery water-sharing framework. Participants are also expected to assess rainfall patterns and weather conditions in the Cauvery catchment areas, crucial for determining reservoir storage levels and water availability.
The proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project in Karnataka, a contentious issue among the riparian states, is another key topic for discussion. Tamil Nadu has been against the project, fearing its impact on the state’s share of Cauvery water. Given the agricultural significance of the Cauvery basin and the persistent water-sharing disputes, the meeting’s outcome in Delhi will be closely monitored by farmers and political stakeholders in the region.
