Karnataka has formally asked the Cauvery Water Management Authority to halve the daily release of water to Tamil Nadu, citing severe drought in the river basin.

Water Resources Minister Cheluvarayaswamy said the state wants the mandated release at Biligundlu cut from 4,000 cusecs to 2,000 cusecs. Around 47 taluks in the Cauvery basin have been declared drought-hit, and inflows at Biligundlu from June 1 to September 30 totalled just 44.21 TMC.

The minister said Karnataka must preserve water carefully to meet drinking water needs and compensate for evaporation losses until June 2027. The state stressed it had strictly complied with all CWMA directions during the current water year.

The Supreme Court has separately asked Karnataka to respond within a week to Tamil Nadu’s plea over the release shortfall, listing the matter for October 12. The dispute, one of India’s oldest inter-state water conflicts, flares up in every weak-monsoon year The Authority’s decision is awaited.