Cauvery authority directs Karnataka to release water

Cauvery authority directs Karnataka to release water

News:

1. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu and other states.

Important facts:

2.The decision was taken in CWMA’s first meeting held in New Delhi, with representatives from Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

3.The meeting was held because Karnataka decided to appeal in the Supreme Court against the formation of Cauvery Water Management Authority.

4.Karnataka has been asked to release 31 tmcft water to Tamil Nadu in July.

5.Karnataka had released an extra of 3 tmcft of water from Cauvery n June owing to the heavy rainfall in the river’s catchment areas.

6.However, the meeting did not discuss Karnataka’s decision to challenge the Constitution of the CWMA in the Supreme Court.

7.Karnataka decided to appeal in the Supreme Court against the formation of CWMA.

8.According to a Supreme Court order on February 16, Karnataka needs to release 177.25 TMC to TN. The Court had reduced the latter’s share of 192 TMC as ordained by the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal.

9.The authority’s order came after Karnataka had made public its objection to the composition of CWMA on June 30.

10.Karnataka raised objections about the distribution of water and is wary of “outside” interference in the distribution.

11.In case of Puducherry, the authority directed that the existing arrangement for the supply of water to Puducherry by Tamil Nadu will continue.

12.The next meeting of the CWMA would be held in July to review the implementation of the orders passed by the authority in the first meeting.

Some value addition points:

13.Constitutional Provisions and Legislations:

• The Constitutional Provision for Interstate water dispute has been laid down in Article 262
• The Article 262 provides for a specific law enacted by Parliament to adjudicate water disputes. It also bars jurisdiction of all courts, including the Supreme Court, on the same.

14.The River:

• The Cauvery River originates in Karnataka’s Kodagu district, flows into Tamil Nadu, and reaches the Bay of Bengal at Poompuhar.
• Parts of three Indian states – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka – and the Union Territory of Pondicherry lie in the Cauvery basin.
• The river’s upper hilly catchment lies in Karnataka and Kerala. Its lower part lies in the plains of Tamil Nadu.
• Karnataka is the upper riparian state where the river originates; Tamil Nadu is a lower riparian state.