Karnataka starts releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu following CWMA order

Karnataka has started releasing water from its reservoirs to Tamil Nadu in compliance with the directives issued by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), official sources said.

The CWMA had directed the Karnataka government to ensure that 5,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water reaches Biligundlu in Tamil Nadu everyday for the next fortnight up to September 12.

Karnataka was earlier asked to release 10,000 cusecs of water but the state appealed against the verdict saying that there was inadequate rainfall in the catchment areas of Cauvery basin. Taking Karnataka's concerns into consideration, the CWMA ordered releasing 5,000 cusecs.

The water was released from Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam and Kabini reservoir in Mysuru, the sources said on Wednesday.

Various farmers' organisations staged protests against the release of water from KRS dam and Kabini reservoir. Overnight protests took place in Mandya and Srirangapatna in the Cauvery belt.