Inter-state water disputes in India : Terming Tamil Nadu’s decision to utilize surplus water in the Cauvery basin ‘illegal’, Karnataka would approach the Supreme Court for legal recourse.
- The decision follows Tamil Nadu’s move to lay the foundation to the Cauvery-Vellaru-Vaigai-Gundar link scheme recently.
- The link scheme proposes to utilize the surplus water in the Cauvery basin and transfer it to its Southern region.
- Karnataka said: “It is not right on the part of Tamil Nadu to utilize surplus water before it is allocated. Under the provisions of The Inter State Water Disputes Act, it is illegal and cannot happen without proper allocation.”
Major Inter state water disputes in India
- Harnessing river water being a State subject, the riparian States are expected to solve issues among themselves.
- The Centre intervenes, setting up a tribunal, only when the talks fail.
- In case of disputes relating to waters, Article 262 provides:
- Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution or control of the waters of, or in, any inter-State river or river valley.
- Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, Parliament may, by law provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court shall exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such dispute or complaint.
- Rivers and states involved in the disputes:
- Krishna: Karnataka, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra
- Mahanadi: Odisha and Chhattisgarh
- Mahadayi/ Mandovi: Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra
- Ravi and Beas: Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan
- Vansadhara: Andhra Pradesh &Odisha
- Cauvery: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry
- Tungabhadra: Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
- Godavari: Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Karnataka
- Narmada: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan
- Periyar: Kerala and Tamil Nadu