Hello there, I understand that you might not have much time to read a lengthy text. In the first paragraph, I'll provide you with the introduction and conclusion, and in the following sections, you'll find a detailed analysis.

The Cauvery River, the 3rd largest in South India by length, originates in Karnataka and flows into the Bay of Bengal through Tamil Nadu, affecting Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. Various agreements, Supreme Court verdicts, and tribunal bodies have addressed the issue of water sharing among these states. The primary source of water in the Cauvery River is the monsoon rain. This year, Karnataka experienced a reduced monsoon, resulting in lower water levels in the Cauvery. Despite this, Karnataka has been ordered to release water to Tamil Nadu, leading to a water scarcity problem in Karnataka and a demand among Kannadigas to retain the water in Karnataka, leading to the Bangalore Bandh.

This is because Cauvery water plays a crucial role in sustaining cities like Bangalore, Mysuru, and Mandya.

If time permits, please continue reading below; otherwise, goodbye!

Okay, so basically we are here to delve deeper into the Cauvery Dispute. I assume it is now clear why there is a dispute: Cauvery is a Most Valuable River (MVR) in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, leading to dependency on the monsoon, resulting in water sharing fluctuations, which, in turn, affect the livelihoods of farmers and various activities.

History of this problem:

In 1892 and 1924, the first conflicts arose when the Mysore Princely State (now Karnataka) attempted to build irrigation projects. The Madras Presidency (controlled by the British, now Tamil Nadu) objected and compelled them to sign an agreement for water sharing. In 1910, Mysore began constructing the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam (KSR), leading to a new agreement in 1924 with a 50-year validity period. It was decided that KSR Dam would become operational, and in Tamil Nadu (Madras Presidency), a new dam named Mettur Dam would be created. The water-sharing percentages in these agreements were as follows:

- Tamil Nadu: 75%

- Karnataka: 23%

- Kerala: 2%

After Independence, conflicts persisted, leading the Supreme Court of India in 1990 to direct the Union Government to establish a committee/tribunal body to resolve the issue under the Inter-State Water Dispute Act of 1956. The Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT) was formed by the Union Government. In 1991, the CWDT issued an interim order, stating that Karnataka must release 250 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic Feet) of water to Tamil Nadu without increasing its agricultural area.

As monsoons varied over the years, conflicts continued. To address these issues and implement CWDT's orders, the Cauvery Water Authority was formed, consisting of the Prime Minister of India and the heads of the four states involved.

In 2007, the final order of CWDT established the following water allocations in a water year:

- Cauvery contains 750 TMC feet of water (originating from and flowing into the sea over 800 km).

- Tamil Nadu: 419 TMC

- Karnataka: 270 TMC

- Kerala: 30 TMC

- Puducherry: 7 TMC

- Environmental needs: 10 TMC

- Seaward flow: 4 TMC

Tamil Nadu somewhat agreed with this resolution, while Karnataka deemed it an unequal distribution, leading to massive protests in Karnataka. These protests recurred regularly over the years, culminating in the Supreme Court's 2018 verdict.

Following the 2018 Supreme Court verdict, water-sharing percentages were adjusted:

- Tamil Nadu: 404

- Karnataka: 285

Additionally, the Union Government was directed to form two bodies:

1. Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) responsible for storage, regulation, control, and SC verdict implementation in Delhi.

2. Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to oversee CWDT orders from 1991 and assist CWMA in Bangalore.

However, due to insufficient rainfall, the Cauvery River currently lacks extra unused water, highlighting distribution problems. It's important to note that there are no direct orders for situations of excessive or deficient rainfall; all orders and verdicts were given for a normal water year.

Stats of Cauvery River and Surroundings:

- Origin: Kodagu District, Karnataka, Brahmagiri Range, above 1341m sea level, Western Ghats

- Dam/Reservoirs: KSR Dam in Karnataka, Mettur Reservoir in Tamil Nadu

- Length: 800 km

- Biligudu (Krishnagiri District in Tamil Nadu): Water measuring station by the Central Water Commission, measuring how much water KR has released to TN.

Okay, thaq gye likhte likhte :( !