The 765-km. long river Cauvery cuts across two Indian states, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It originates at Talacauvery in Kodagu district in Karnataka.
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| Context: | Supreme Court has directed Karnataka state government to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days in an attempt to save the samba crops. |
| Geographical location of river Cauvery: | The 765-km. long river Cauvery cuts across two Indian states, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It originates at Talacauvery in Kodagu district in Karnataka. While it flows mainly through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, a lot of its basin area is covered by Kerala and the Karaikal area of Puducherry. |
| What is the background of this issue? | 1. The Cauvery dispute started in the year 1892, between the Madras Presidency (under the British Raj) and the Princely state of Mysore when they had to come to terms with dividing the river water between the two states. According to the 1892 and the 1924 agreements the river water isdistributed as, 75% with Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, 23% to Karnataka, remaining to go to Kerala.
2. In the year 1910, both states started planning the construction of dams on the river. Further, in 1924, Britisher’s presided an agreement was signed between the two states where the rules of regulation of the Krishnarajsagar dam. Hence, the 1924 agreement gave both the Madras presidency and the Mysore state rights to use the surplus waters of the Cauvery. Madras had objected to the construction of the Krishnasagar dam and hence the agreement gave them the liberty to build the Mettur dam. However, the agreement also put restrictions on the extent of area irrigated by Madras and Mysore using the river water. 3. The clause 11 of the agreement provided ” for such modifications and additions as may be mutually agreed upon as the result of reconsideration” after a passage of 5 decades, this revision clause was only applicable to projects other than KRS. Conditions governing the construction and operation of KRS and that could not be subject to any review. 4. The late 20th century, Tamil Nadu opposed the construction of dams on the river by Karnataka, and the state in turn wanted to discontinue the water supply to Tamil Nadu moreover, pointed that, 1924 agreement had lapsed when its 50 years were up in 1974 and considering that the river originated in Karnataka, they had better claim over the river. They argued that they were not bound by the agreement struck between the British Empire and the Maharaja of Mysore. However, the dispute over distribution of Cauvery water continued and it was only in 1990 that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was set up. The tribunal announced its award in 2007. |
| What was the verdict of the tribunal? | 1. The Cauvery tribunal distributed the river water among four riparian states. It allocated 419 TMC feet of water to Tamil Nadu, 270 to Karnataka, 30 to Kerala and 7 to Pudducherry.
2. The tribunal mandated Karnataka to release 192 TMC feet of water every water year i.e. between June and May.However, the verdict also stated that during poor monsoon the states must share water distress in the same proportion. This provision has led to perpetuation of water dispute between the two neighbouring states. |
| What is the main reason for dispute? | 1. Tamil Nadu contended that even if it was to accept the Karnataka stand that due to deficient rainfall in the current year, the inflow of water into four major reservoirs in the State is less, the same (shortfall in inflow of water into the reservoirs) could not have been more than 28%.The pro- rate formula as per the final order of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, the state was entitled to 68 tmcft of water at Billigundulu from 1 June to 31 August. |
| What are the directives of the Supreme Court? | 1. The Karnataka government must have release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water every day to Tamil Nadu for next 10 days to meet the demands of the summer crop in the state, along with due consider the impact of non-availability of required water on the summer crops and the plight of farmers.
2. A bench of Justice asked the Cauvery Supervisory Committee to look into Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking direction to Karnataka to release 35 tmcft of water to make good for that much shortfall in the release of water for three months starting with 1 June to 30 August. |