GS1/GS2 Paper
Syllabus: Interstate water dispute/ Water Governance
Context: The Supreme Court has refused to intervene in the ongoing Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, highlighting the persisting tensions despite an official resolution.
What is the Cauvery Water Dispute?
The Cauvery Water Dispute is a dispute between the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, along with Kerala and Puducherry, over the sharing of the Cauvery River’s waters. It involves issues of water allocation and usage rights, with historical agreements, tribunals, and court rulings playing a significant role in its resolution.
Background of the dispute:
| Year | Event |
| 19th Century | Agreements were made between the Madras Presidency and Mysore regarding water usage. |
| The agreement was that the upper riparian state needed the lower riparian state’s consent for any construction, like a reservoir, on the Cauvery River. | |
| 1974 | Karnataka started diverting Cauvery water without Tamil Nadu’s consent, triggering the modern phase of the dispute. |
| 1990 | The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was established to address the water-sharing conflict. |
| 2007 | CWDT issues its final award, specifying water allocations among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. |
| Considering the total availability of 740 TMC in a normal year. CWDT allocated water among the four states as follows: Tamil Nadu – about 404 TMC, Karnataka – about 284 TMC, Kerala – 30 TMC, and Puducherry – 7 TMC | |
| 2018 | Supreme Court upholds CWDT’s award, declaring the Cauvery a national asset and ordering the establishment of the Cauvery Water Management Scheme. |
| In June 2018, the central government established the ‘Cauvery Water Management Scheme,’ which includes the ‘Cauvery Water Management Authority’ and the ‘Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.’ |
How is water being Shared currently?
Water sharing in the Cauvery River is regulated by a monthly schedule between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In a typical year, Karnataka must release about 177 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu from June to May, including about 123 TMC during the monsoon months from June to September. Disputes often arise during the southwest monsoon season when rainfall is below expectations.
Reasons behind the Dispute:
| Reasons | Description |
| Recent Issues | Tamil Nadu went to the Supreme Court to ensure the release of 24,000 cusecs of water from Karnataka’s reservoir. Karnataka had previously refused agreed-upon water release quantities. |
| Mekedatu Dam Project: Tamil Nadu argues that the project is unauthorized and could harm its interests, violating the orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court. | |
| Karnataka Stand | While Tamil Nadu advocates for 10,000 cusecs of water release for 15 days. Karnataka suggests 8,000 cusecs of water release for the same 15-day period. |
| Karnataka cites poor inflow due to reduced rainfall in the Cauvery catchment, including Kodagu. | |
| It highlights a 44% rainfall deficit in Kodagu from June to August. | |
| It rejects Tamil Nadu’s distress-sharing formula demand. | |
| Implications | Tamil Nadu’s farmers are awaiting Karnataka’s response due to low water storage in the Mettur reservoir (20 TMC, lasting ten days). This may impact agriculture crops and water requirements in the region. |
| Ineffective Tribunals | The government creates tribunals for each dispute. However, these tribunals are ineffective, and ad hoc, and their judgements have little legal basis. Further, when states challenge their decisions, the conflict is only exacerbated. |
| The existing Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, relies on tribunals to resolve disputes. | |
| Water distress | The distress caused by Climate change, erratic rainfall, depleting groundwater, and water-intensive cropping patterns intensify river disputes. |
The way ahead:
- Passing a law to empower tribunals to enforce decisions is crucial for quicker and more effective resolution of these disputes.
- In 2017, the Lok Sabha passed the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill to create a single permanent tribunal and a mediation committee, but the implementation has not yet been done.
- Allowing for water harvesting on a larger scale in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
- Strengthening the interstate council and Zonal councils for dispute resolution
Conclusion:
As India faces growing water scarcity and declining river volumes, there is a need for urgent legislation granting tribunals the power to enforce their decisions, facilitating quicker and more effective resolution of inter-state river water disputes.
About Cauvery River
It is the third largest river – after Godavari and Krishna – in southern India, and the largest in the state of Tamil Nadu, known as ‘Ponni’ in Tamil. Originates in Karnataka (Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu district) and eventually drains into the Bay of Bengal. Its left bank tributaries include Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Shimsa, and Harangi, while right bank tributaries consist of Lakshmantirtha, Suvarnavati, Noyil, Bhavani, Kabini, and Amaravathi.
Mains Links:
Constitutional mechanisms to resolve the inter-state water disputes have failed to address and solve the problems. Is the failure due to structural or process inadequacy or both? Discuss. ( UPSC 2013)
Prelims Links:
Which of the following Protected Areas are located in the Cauvery basin? (UPSC 2020)
- Nagarhole National Park
- Papikonda National Park
- Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
- Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: C
