In its plea, the party sought a direction to Karnataka to "forthwith and fully implement" the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) July 28 recommendation, upheld by the CWMA on July 30, by ensuring a flow of 3,500 cusecs of water per day at Biligundlu for 15 days and making good the shortfall in releases from July 29 onwards.

The DMK also urged the court to direct Karnataka to clear the accumulated backlog of about 9.46 TMC due at Biligundlu as of July 26 by ensuring releases of about 7,000 cusecs per day over a 15-day period. It further sought directions to the CWMA to monitor reservoir releases and water flows at Biligundlu on a day-to-day basis and report compliance to the court.

The CWMA on Thursday upheld the CWRC's recommendation that Karnataka release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.

The Centre had constituted the CWMA in 2018 to oversee the sharing of Cauvery waters among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry following the Supreme Court's final verdict. Besides representatives of the riparian states, the authority also includes a nominee of the Centre.

Karnataka chief minister D K Shivakumar appealed to organisations opposing the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu to withdraw their proposed agitation, saying the state had no option but to comply with the Supreme Court's order while safeguarding the interests of its farmers.

The chief minister also accused the BJP of "politicising" the issue. Speaking to reporters at Mysuru airport, Shivakumar said he had also taken note of Union minister H D Kumaraswamy's remarks and alleged that political leaders in Tamil Nadu were fighting for their political survival.

The CWMA's direction to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days has sparked widespread protests across the state.

"There is an order to release 177 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu, and the Supreme Court has upheld it. We must respect the court's order while also protecting the interests of our farmers. Our government is committed to safeguarding the welfare of Karnataka's farmers," Shivakumar said.

"Kabini reservoir is filling up. Once a dam is full, water has to be released. It is impossible to hold it back," he added, urging organisations to call off their planned agitation.

Cautioning those planning to protest, Shivakumar urged them not to put their lives at risk, saying the force of the overflowing water could prove dangerous.

"Even if we decide not to release water, once the reservoir is full, it is impossible to hold it back. Protesters should not go near the points where water is being released. The force of the water can sweep you away. No one should lie down in the path of flowing water," he said.

The chief minister also appealed against a bandh, saying while democratic protests were welcome, they should neither disrupt normal life nor disregard the legal process. He added that the people of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were citizens of the same country.

Shivakumar said the CWMA had access to real-time data on reservoir levels across the Cauvery basin but had not accepted Karnataka's contention that it had released less than half the quantity of water discharged during similar distress years.

On the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, he claimed Karnataka had secured a "major victory" in the Supreme Court and said Parliament had also received a clear legal explanation of the state's right to construct the proposed dam.