DK Shivakumar calls all-party meeting over water tensions August 2, 2026 by Sandy Verma Bengaluru: Tensions have once again escalated between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the sharing of Cauvery River water. Following the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) order, the Karnataka government has called an all-party meeting in Bengaluru on Sunday. The meeting will discuss the state’s legal and political stance. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has approached the Supreme Court to enforce the water release orders. Politics heats up after the CWRC order The controversy began when the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily for 15 days. This decision sparked protests in several parts of Karnataka. The BJP, farmers’ organizations, and pro-Kannada groups have demanded the state government protect Karnataka’s water interests. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated that the state will utilize all legal and constitutional options to protect its rights. Further strategy will be formulated at an all-party meeting. Leaders of various political parties, Union Ministers, MPs, and senior public representatives from the Cauvery Basin region have been invited to the all-party meeting in Bengaluru. The meeting will discuss the water release order, legal options, and issues to be raised with the central government. DMK files petition in the Supreme Court The DMK of Tamil Nadu has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking directions to Karnataka to immediately release water. The party has urged the court to ensure that the Karnataka government complies with the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), and the CWRC’s directives. Key demands made in the petition: The DMK stated in its petition that Karnataka should comply with the order to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day. It also demanded that additional water flows be ensured to compensate for the water shortage and that the Cauvery Water Management Authority be directed to regularly monitor water discharges. BJP suggests a negotiated solution Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, urging both states to resolve the dispute through dialogue. He stated that the Cauvery River is the lifeline of millions of people in both states and that a lasting solution can only be found through a spirit of cooperation. He supported the Mekedatu project, saying it will meet Bengaluru’s drinking water needs while also taking into account Tamil Nadu’s interests. What is the Cauvery Water Dispute? The Cauvery Water Dispute is a decades-long dispute between Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry over the sharing of the river’s water. The biggest dispute remains between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Tensions and political conflict between the two states increase, especially during years of low rainfall, when water availability decreases.
