CWMA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Karnataka government recently approached the Supreme Court, requesting the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to review its decision made on September 18, which mandated a flow of 5,000 cusecs of river water to Tamil Nadu until September 29.

Cauvery Water  Management Authority CWMA

• It has been created as per the Cauvery Management Scheme earlier framed by the Centre and approved by the Supreme Court.
• Formation: February 2018 by instructions of the Supreme Court
• Composition: Chairman, a secretary and eight members.
• Out of the eight members, two will be full time, while two will be part-time members from the center’s side.
• Rest four will be part-time members from the states.
• Functions: To ensure the enforcement and adherence to the directives of the Supreme Court concerning the "storage, allocation, management, and oversight of Cauvery waters."

o It will also offer guidance to the states on implementing measures to enhance the efficiency of water utilization.

Cauvery

• About: It is the largest river in the Karnatka state.
• Known as:  Dakshina Ganga (the Ganges of the South) and considered one of the sacred rivers of India.
• Origin: Bramahagiri Hills near Madikeri in Coorg.
• Tributaries: Harangi, Hemavathi, Lakshmanatirtha, Kabini, Shimsha, Arkavati, Suvarnavathi or Honnuholé,  Bhavani, Lokapavani, Noyyal.