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Cauvery Water Dispute: A Complete Legal Timeline

The Cauvery Water Dispute is a long-running disagreement among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry over sharing the Cauvery river's water, rooted in 1…

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FIRST AGREEMENT

Mysore and Madras Presidency Sign Early Water Sharing Agreement

In 1892, the princely state of Mysore and the Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu) signed an agreement concerning the utilisation of Cauvery waters. This agreement, mediat…

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MYS/MADRAS AGREEMENT

Mysore and Madras Presidency Sign New Agreement for Krishnarajasagara Dam

A new agreement was signed in 1924 between Mysore and Madras, primarily to address concerns arising from the construction of the Krishnarajasagara (KRS) Dam by Mysore. T…

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AGREEMENT LAPSE

1924 Agreement Lapses, Opening New Phase of Dispute

The 1924 agreement had a 50-year validity clause, meaning it lapsed in 1974, leading to a significant escalation of the Cauvery Water Dispute. With no formal framework i…

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TRIBUNAL CONSTITUTED

Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) Constituted

Amid escalating tensions and the failure of inter-state negotiations, the Central Government constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) in 1990 under the Int…

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INTERIM ORDER

CWDT Issues Interim Order for Water Release

The CWDT issued an interim order directing Karnataka to release 205 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water annually to Tamil Nadu. This order, though temporary, spar…

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CRA FORMED

Cauvery River Authority (CRA) Established

To ensure the effective implementation of the interim order and manage water releases, the Union Government constituted the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) in 1998. Chaire…

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CWDT FINAL AWARD

CWDT Delivers Final Award on Water Sharing

After 17 years, the CWDT delivered its final award, allocating 419 TMC to Tamil Nadu, 270 TMC to Karnataka, 30 TMC to Kerala, and 7 TMC to Puducherry, out of an estimate…

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AWARD NOTIFIED

Union Government Notifies CWDT Final Award

Despite the CWDT's final award in 2007, it was only notified by the Union Government in 2013, following a Supreme Court directive. The delay was primarily due to review…

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SUPREME COURT VERDICT

Supreme Court Modifies CWDT Award and Reallocates Water

The Supreme Court delivered a significant verdict, modifying the 2007 CWDT award. It reduced Tamil Nadu's share to 404.25 TMC and increased Karnataka's share to 284.75 T…

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CWMA ESTABLISHED

Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and CWRC Formed

Following the Supreme Court's directive, the Union Government established the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC)…

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2026 MONSOON UPDATE

Deficient Monsoon Tests the CWMA Framework in Real Time

A deficient 2026 southwest monsoon reduced storage across Karnataka's reservoirs. The CWRC recommended, and the CWMA endorsed, a distress release of 3,500 cusecs to Tami…

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