Cauvery Water Management Authority

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) is the statutory implementation mechanism for sharing Cauvery waters among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry. It implements the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final decision, as modified by the Supreme Court, through monitoring, regulation and directions concerning water storage and releases; it does not adjudicate the dispute afresh.

Statutory foundation

The Central Government constituted the Authority through the Cauvery Water Management Scheme, 2018, framed under Section 6A of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. The Scheme also establishes the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee as the Authority's assisting mechanism.

• Article 262 empowers Parliament to provide for adjudication of disputes concerning inter-State river waters.
• The Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 provides for adjudication and implementation of tribunal decisions.

Composition of the Authority

The CWMA combines Union representation, basin State participation and technical-administrative leadership.

• It consists of a Chairman and one whole-time member appointed by the Central Government.
• It has two part-time members representing the Union ministries dealing with water resources and agriculture.
• It includes four part-time members, one each nominated by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
• A Secretary appointed by the Central Government serves the Authority.

Mandate and implementation machinery

The Authority must secure compliance with the operative water-sharing decision. It uses basin data and reservoir monitoring, while the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee assists in field-level regulation and verification.

• It regulates the storage, apportionment and release of Cauvery waters according to the operative decision.
• It monitors reservoir levels, inflows, outflows, withdrawals and releases across the basin.
• It determines and directs releases after considering allocations, reservoir position, inflows and water availability.
• It oversees specified reservoirs to the extent necessary and addresses water deficiency or distress according to the operative decision and Scheme.
• Party governments must provide required data, and the Authority's decisions within its purview are binding on them.
• If implementation is obstructed, the Authority may seek assistance from the Central Government.