Karnataka Says Tamil Nadu Got More Cauvery Water
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CAUVERY WATER DISPUTE
The disturbance between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over Cauvery river dates back to the nineteenth century i.e. from British times.
In those days, Karnataka was the Princely state of Mysore & Tamil Nadu was called as Madras Presidency.
Two important agreements over the use of water in the Cauvery river was signed between these two parties in 1892 & 1924.
This last agreement of 1924 lapsed in the year 1974 & from that time major tensions started to emerge between these two states.
What Karnataka has to say - Karnataka as a state doesn't get the same benefit of the Cauvery river in the same way as the Tamil Nadu gets.
Hence proper changes should be drawn up in the existing pattern of the 1924 agreement.
What Tamil Nadu has to say - Tamil Nadu has developed around 3,000,000 acres of land based on the availability of the water. If some changes are brought in the availability of the water millions of farmers in Tamil Nadu will be starved to death. Tamil Nadu, being the lower-riperian state, charges that Karnataka has built new dams and expanded the agricultural areas irrigated by the available water, thus affecting the water-supply down-stream. As a result, there has been a dispute and tension between these two states over the division of water.
In short Tamil, Nadu wanted to maintain status quo over its share of water while Karnataka wanted to tap most of the water flowing from its territory.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 1990
One farmers association from Tamil Nadu moved to Supreme Court so that a tribunal can be formed on the river dispute. (The talks between the State were going on but yielded no result).
Finally on the order of Supreme Court a 3 member tribunal was formed in 1990 headquarterd at New Delhi & it was headed by Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee.
Demands of the state before the tribunal -
a) Karnataka - claimed 465 billion ft (13 km) as its share b) Kerala - claimed 99.8 billion ft (2.83 km) as its share c) Puducherry - claimed 9.3 billion ft (0.3 km) d) Tamil Nadu - claimed the flows should be ensured in accordance with the terms of the agreements of 1892 and 1924 (ie., 566 billion ft (16 km) for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry; 177 billion ft (5 km) for Karnataka and 5 billion ft (0.1 km) for Kerala)click here for more information about Cauvery Water.
ABOUT CWDT
The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was constituted by the Government of India on 2nd June 1990 to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter-state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof.
The Tribunal, comprising chairman Justice N.P. Singh and members N.S. Rao and Sudhir Narain, was set up in 1990 and its final award came in 2007.
About monitoring of the implementation of Interim order of CWDT
Under the provisions of Section 6A of the ISWD Act, 1956, the Central Government has notified a Scheme called Cauvery Water (implementation of the Order of 1991 and all subsequent Related Orders of the Tribunal) Scheme, 1998, consisting of Cauvery River Authority (CRA) and Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC).
The Cauvery River Authority consists of the Prime Minister as Chairperson and Chief Ministers of the basin States as members.
The Monitoring Committee consists of Secretary, MOWR as Chairperson, Chief Secretaries and Chief Engineers of the basin States as Members and Chairman, Central Water Commission as Member.
The Authority is required to give effect to the implementation of the Interim Order dated 25th June 1991 of the Tribunal and its related subsequent orders. So far CRA has held 6 meetings and CMC has held 25 meetings. 25th meeting of CMC was held on 24.08.2010.
The disturbance between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over Cauvery river dates back to the nineteenth century i.e. from British times.
In those days, Karnataka was the Princely state of Mysore & Tamil Nadu was called as Madras Presidency.
Two important agreements over the use of water in the Cauvery river was signed between these two parties in 1892 & 1924.
This last agreement of 1924 lapsed in the year 1974 & from that time major tensions started to emerge between these two states.
What Karnataka has to say - Karnataka as a state doesn't get the same benefit of the Cauvery river in the same way as the Tamil Nadu gets.
Hence proper changes should be drawn up in the existing pattern of the 1924 agreement.
What Tamil Nadu has to say - Tamil Nadu has developed around 3,000,000 acres of land based on the availability of the water. If some changes are brought in the availability of the water millions of farmers in Tamil Nadu will be starved to death. Tamil Nadu, being the lower-riperian state, charges that Karnataka has built new dams and expanded the agricultural areas irrigated by the available water, thus affecting the water-supply down-stream. As a result, there has been a dispute and tension between these two states over the division of water.
In short Tamil, Nadu wanted to maintain status quo over its share of water while Karnataka wanted to tap most of the water flowing from its territory.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 1990
One farmers association from Tamil Nadu moved to Supreme Court so that a tribunal can be formed on the river dispute. (The talks between the State were going on but yielded no result).
Finally on the order of Supreme Court a 3 member tribunal was formed in 1990 headquarterd at New Delhi & it was headed by Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee.
Demands of the state before the tribunal -
a) Karnataka - claimed 465 billion ft (13 km) as its share b) Kerala - claimed 99.8 billion ft (2.83 km) as its share c) Puducherry - claimed 9.3 billion ft (0.3 km) d) Tamil Nadu - claimed the flows should be ensured in accordance with the terms of the agreements of 1892 and 1924 (ie., 566 billion ft (16 km) for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry; 177 billion ft (5 km) for Karnataka and 5 billion ft (0.1 km) for Kerala)click here for more information about Cauvery Water.
ABOUT CWDT
The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was constituted by the Government of India on 2nd June 1990 to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter-state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof.
The Tribunal, comprising chairman Justice N.P. Singh and members N.S. Rao and Sudhir Narain, was set up in 1990 and its final award came in 2007.
About monitoring of the implementation of Interim order of CWDT
Under the provisions of Section 6A of the ISWD Act, 1956, the Central Government has notified a Scheme called Cauvery Water (implementation of the Order of 1991 and all subsequent Related Orders of the Tribunal) Scheme, 1998, consisting of Cauvery River Authority (CRA) and Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC).
The Cauvery River Authority consists of the Prime Minister as Chairperson and Chief Ministers of the basin States as members.
The Monitoring Committee consists of Secretary, MOWR as Chairperson, Chief Secretaries and Chief Engineers of the basin States as Members and Chairman, Central Water Commission as Member.
The Authority is required to give effect to the implementation of the Interim Order dated 25th June 1991 of the Tribunal and its related subsequent orders. So far CRA has held 6 meetings and CMC has held 25 meetings. 25th meeting of CMC was held on 24.08.2010.
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