Karnataka has suffered a setback in the ongoing Cauvery water-sharing dispute after the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed the state to release 3,500 cusecs of water every day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.

The order, which takes effect retrospectively from July 29, follows the authority's acceptance of the recommendation made by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).

Tamil Nadu had requested a significantly higher release of 7,000 cusecs per day for the same period, equivalent to nearly 9 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water. However, the authority declined that demand and instead approved the CWRC's recommendation of 3,500 cusecs daily.

The CWMA also dismissed Karnataka's submission that prevailing water requirements within the state made it difficult to release water to Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka May Move Supreme Court

With the authority's decision now in force, legal experts believe Karnataka's remaining option is to challenge the order before the Supreme Court.

Responding to the development, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said an all-party meeting had been convened on Sunday to discuss the issue and formulate the state's next course of action.

He also said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay would be attending the meeting, expressing hope that both states could work towards a solution that protects their respective interests.

Protests Intensify in Mandya

Even before the CWMA issued its final order, demonstrations had intensified in Karnataka's Mandya district against the CWRC's recommendation.

Kannada activists staged protests opposing the proposed water release and vandalised posters of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's film Jana Nayagan. They also demanded that the movie's screening at Gurushri Cinema be stopped.

Following the protest, the theatre management agreed to cancel the scheduled screening.

The demonstrators later submitted a memorandum to the Karnataka government through the district administration, urging it not to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. They also voiced support for farmers who have been protesting over concerns about water availability.

Several protesters argued that parts of Karnataka were already facing shortages of drinking water and adequate supplies for livestock, making it difficult to divert additional water to the neighbouring state.

Appealing directly to Chief Minister Shivakumar, one protester urged him to convey the hardships being faced by residents of Mandya and seek additional time before implementing the water release order.

He added that the people of Mandya had consistently defended Karnataka's interests in the Cauvery dispute and expressed confidence that the Chief Minister would personally intervene to safeguard the state's concerns.

The latest order is expected to keep the decades-old Cauvery water dispute at the centre of political and legal attention, with Karnataka now weighing its options for further legal recourse.