Cauvery water conflict

 In an intense water conflict such as the Cauvery, the version of the affected parties, in times of crisis, cannot be expected to be impartial

CAUVERY WATER AVILABILITY 

1 In tamil and karnatka since the second half of July, nature brought a dramatic change in the situation with rains, bringing copious / enough  inflow to the river. 

2 The situation turned positive with regard to the realisation of water by Tamil Nadu — from deficit to “over surplus.” 

3 Tamil Nadu received its entire share — even marginally higher — for July and August, as mandated in the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT)’s final award of 2007, which was modified by the Supreme Court in February 2018. The spell of surplus flows continued in the subsequent weeks.

कितना पानी निचले राज्यों को ?

As of September 2, the lower riparian State received about 181 tmc ft since June 1, the inaugural date of any water year, whereas the stipulated quantum for the entire year — up to May 2025 — is 177.25 tmc ft. 

The Tribunal and the Court have fixed Tamil Nadu’s share for 

• for July at 31.24 tmc ft;
• August  45.95 tmc ft 
•  September — 36.76 tmc ft. 

मानसून का महत्त्व कितना है ?

The southwest monsoon is crucial for both States, as it represents the wettest period for Karnataka and yields the highest quantum of (123.14 tmc ft) of water for Tamil Nadu. 

Implementation mechanism

once in three years, there is distress

1 period (June-September 2) of last year when the aggregate realisation by Tamil Nadu was a mere 33.2 tmc ft.

2  A close perusal of the data of 30 years (1994-95 to 2023-24) reveals that on 11 occasions, the realisation during June-September was less than 100 tmc ft, as against the stipulated 123.14 tmc ft. 

3  यहीं पर अंतिम निर्णय के कार्यान्वयन तंत्र - कावेरी जल प्रबंधन प्राधिकरण (सीडब्ल्यूएमए) - और सर्वोच्च न्यायालय, निश्चित रूप से, समायोजन की भावना के अलावा, महत्व प्राप्त करते हैं।

CWMA AND CWRC and cauvery river authority

1 The efficacy of the CWMA and its assisting body Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), as institutional arrangements, was test during 2023-24. 

2 Cauvery River Authority

🌺 Unlike its predecessor/ previous, the Cauvery River Authority, which was a high-profile setup with the 

• Prime Minister as the chairperson 
• Chief Ministers of all the basin States as Members, 
• the CWMA is headed by a full-time official 
• with government officers of all the States and various departments of the Union government. 

🌺 Many of their decisions last year were not good for two States, but the performance of the CWMA and CWRC can be considered satisfactory.

किस प्रकार की इंप्रूवमेंट करने की ज़रूरत है संस्थाओं में 

greater transparency 

in their functioning. Both the Authority and the Committee will have to make public, as quickly as possible, all their decisions in writing. 

In an intense water conflict such as the Cauvery, the version of the affected parties, in times of crisis, cannot be expected to be fair/impartial. 

 authentic information

Even otherwise, dissemination / extending of authentic information is vital in an inter-State water dispute.

 Manpower shorted ?

If the authority is constrained by a shortage of manpower, in carrying out its functions effectively, the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti should intervene and solve the problem.

Authority should enlarge its composition 

from being a body of only officials to one of 

• multi-disciplinary 
• mix of officials 
• non-officials like - farmers, environmentalists, and independent water experts. 

Learn from Chennai ?

The Union government could follow the example of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board Act. 

The law provides for six non-official directors on the Board of the water agency, which includes persons to represent the interests of the public, industrial, and commercial establishments.

Only recommendatory types

As for the composition of the CWMA, the implementation mechanism that the Tribunal had in mind is only recommendatory and there is no bar on the Union government to fine-tune it.

 The presence of a non-official environmentalist 

can push the government to take the problem of environmental degradation of the much-venerated river more seriously in view of the challenges being caused by climate change.

Water shortage

Bengaluru’s drinking water shortage

The “feel good factor” prevalent now can be used to look at the problem of Bengaluru’s drinking water shortage, which assumed a serious proportion earlier this year. 

The Supreme Court, in its 2018 judgment, made a special allocation of 4.75 tmc ft for the city 

while the Karnataka government has been pressing for implementing the ₹ 9,000-crore Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir-cum-Drinking Water Project. At present, the Mekedatu project is before the Central Water Commission.

3rd party involvement 

Given the trust deficit between the two States (which explains the reason behind Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the project), the idea of the participation of a third party — say, the Union government — 

Gov can be explored to execute not only the 

• Mekedatu project 
•  any other project,
•  including hydro-electric across the Cauvery, upstream of the Mettur reservoir.
• 
  

After all, attempts made since the late 1990s in this regard failed. There is no harm in making yet another earnest attempt as the intention is to optimally utilise the precious water resource which, if untapped, will go to waste, as is happening now.

source the hindu