| More than 16 years after its constitution, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal today gave its final verdict under which Tamil Nadu will get 192 tmcft of water from Karnataka, which has threatened to go to court against it. | |
| In its final order in the politically volatile decades-old water row, hailed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi as “justice done at least now,” the three-member tribunal headed by Justice N P Singh determined the utilisable quantum of waters in the basin at 740 tmcft, of which Tamil Nadu share would be 419 tmcft, Karnataka 270, Kerala 30 and Puducherry 7. | |
| While there was a sense of relief in Tamil Nadu, political parties in Karnataka reacted sharply, calling the verdict a “raw deal” to their state. In the state’s Assembly, speakers from all sections promised not to politicise the issue but political observers fear precisely that. The credibility of the government of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will be on test in preventing violence over the issue. The situation now is calm but tense. | |
| Also at stake is Bangalore's reputation as an international technology centre, more so because the Aero India exposition is slated to begin on Wednesday. | |
| The CM and his deputy Yediyurappa told reporters in the Vidhana Soudha that a Cabinet meeting would be held tomorrow, followed by an all-party meeting, to discuss the verdict in detail. Both the leaders have asked the people, especially those living in the Cauvery belt to remain calm. | |
| Against a demand of 465 tmcft, Karnataka has been awarded a mere 270 tmcft. Against a demand of 562 tmcft, Tamil Nadu has been awarded 419 tmcft. | |
| A Tamil Nadu government statement said that under the final order, the state would get 185 tmcft after giving 7 tmcft of water to Puducherry. With an additional 25 tmcft of water available between Billigundlu and Mettur, the state would get a total 210 tmcft. | |
| The tribunal order shall come into operation from the date of notification by the central government which is expected in 90 days. Any party to the dispute can challenge it. | |
| The tribunal ordered that Karnataka should make monthly deliveries out of the 192 tmcft to Tamil Nadu during a “normal year” at the inter-state point, identified as Billigundlu gauge and discharage station. | |
| Under the monthly schedule, Tamil Nadu would get in June 10 tmcft, July 34, August 50, September 40, October 22, November 15, December 8, January 3 and 2.5 each in February, March, April and May. | |
| The tribunal said the monthly releases shall be broken into 10 daily intervals by the regulatory authority, which shall properly monitor the working of the schedule with the help of the states concerned and the Central Water Commission for five years. | |
| Any modification or adjustment in the schedule may be worked out in consultation with the party states with the help of CWC and without changing the annual allocation among the parties. | |
| The tribunal directed that any upper riparian state shall not take any action so as to affect the scheduled deliveries of waters to the lower riparian state. | |
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Tamil Nadu: Welcoming the award, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said, "We hope Karnataka will implement the order." Asked whether Tamil Nadu would file a review petition, the CM said he would consult lawyers, political parties and farmers on the issue.
Kerala: Terming the verdict as "disappointing", Kerala said the state would think about taking legal steps to earn a fair share for it. "The quantum of water awarded to the state is much less than what we expected. On getting all the details of the order, we would decide on the steps to be taken to defend the state's genuine interests," state Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran told the media.
Centre: The centre said the award would be binding on the disputing states and made a case for making water a concurrent subject. The Centre would help the states to interpret the award in the coming three months, Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz said.
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