The Supreme Court has given its verdict in the decades-long contentious Cauvery water dispute.
The apex court bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar has increased Karnataka’s share of water and directed the state to release 177.25 tmc to Tamil Nadu.
The states moved the Supreme Court in the aftermath of the Cauvery River Water Dispute Tribunal’s decision in 2007 to award Tamil Nadu 419 thousand million cubic feet of water yearly in the entire Cauvery basin, 270 tmc to Karnataka, 7 tmc to Puducherry and 30 tmc to Kerala.
Ahead of the verdict, both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had taken several security measures to maintain peace, keeping in mind instances of violence in earlier years.
Key Points Of The Judgement
- CJI Dipak Misra noted while delivering the order that “Water is a national asset and no state can have a monopoly over it.”
- Karnataka to get additional 14.75 tmc, bringing the total allocation of water for Karnataka to 284.75 tmc.
- The Court stated that the addition is due to the increased demand for drinking water by Bengaluru and for the many industrial activities occurring in the region.
- Karnataka will now release 177.25 tmc to Tamil Nadu.
- The court stated that the drinking water requirement of a state’s population needs to be placed “on a higher pedestal” as it is “a hierarchically fundamental principle of equitable distribution.”
- Bengaluru to get 4 tmc more to meet drinking water needs of the city.
- The allocation of area of irrigation for Tamil Nadu as indicated by the tribunal deemed correct.
- The tribunal had but failed to consider the ground water availability in Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery basin which is around 20 tmc.
- Tamil Nadu has been permitted to draw out a further 10 tmc groundwater from a total of 20 tmc beneath the Cauvery basin.
- The water allocation to Puducherry and Kerala remains unchanged.
Verdict ‘Disappointing’ Says TN Chief Minister
Reacting to the verdict, Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam said it was “disappointing” that the court had considered ground water and reduced the state’s share. He alleged that Karnataka has built dams without consulting the central government, and had also increased farming lands during earlier years.
The Chief Minister said that the government was initiating talks with experts on the judgement, and would unveil an action plan next week. He stated that his government would work to ensure that “our rights are restored”.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah welcomed the verdict and said that it was “good news” for farmers of the Cauvery basin and also for the people of Karnataka .
Riving Linking A Possible Solution
Tamil Nadu government’s lawyer A Navaneethakrishnan said that while the government would respect the court’s verdict, the issue of the shortfall will be raised with Union minister Nitin Gadkari who has suggested two plans to address the issue.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari said in his response to the verdict that the inter-linking rivers project could be used to meet Tamil Nadu’s water requirement.
After the verdict, precautionary measures to maintain law and order were taken at the border areas of the two states, and bus services between them were curtailed.