Chief Minister Vijay Opens Mettur Dam Amid Water Dispute

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay formally opened the sluice gates of the Mettur Dam on September 1, releasing 3,000 cubic feet per second of water to support nearly 16 lakh acres of agricultural land across 13 delta districts. The release, planned to last 45 days, follows a rise in reservoir levels beyond 90 feet due to heavy rainfall in Karnataka and discharges from the Kabini and Krishnaraja Sagar reservoirs.

The opening was delayed from the customary June 12 date because of inadequate storage and inflows, which resulted in a decline of approximately 42,000 hectares in kuruvai cultivation. The current release is intended to support the upcoming samba cultivation season and address repeated appeals from farmers.

Simultaneously, the Supreme Court of India deferred a hearing on the ongoing Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to September 15, 2026. The Government of Tamil Nadu petitioned the court to compel Karnataka to clear a water release backlog, citing a substantial deficit at Biligundlu. The Government of Karnataka countered that it is exceeding the Cauvery Water Management Authority mandate to ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs, reporting releases of over 11,000 cusecs as of August 31.

The court noted that Karnataka is meeting current requirements and advised Tamil Nadu to challenge any decisions regarding the backlog through the Cauvery Water Management Authority.