News: The Union government will form a high-level expert committee to address inter-state water issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Krishna and Godavari rivers.
About Inter-State River Water Disputes Resolution in India
- Constitutional and legal framework
- Article 262 of the Constitution: It empowers Parliament to legislate for the adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers or river valleys.
- It also allows Parliament to bar the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and other courts over such disputes.
- Entry 56 of the Union List: Regulation and development of inter-State rivers and river valleys.
- Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956: It serves as the chief statutory mechanism for resolving such disputes.
- It provides for the establishment of Water Disputes Tribunals for the adjudication of disputes among states regarding the sharing of river waters.
- Defined time limits: The Act was most recently amended in 2002 to set defined time limits for tribunal formation and award.
- Resolution mechanisms
- Negotiation and agreement: Initially, states are encouraged to resolve disputes through dialogue and mutual agreement.
- Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC): When negotiations fail, the Central Government may constitute a Disputes Resolution Committee (DRC) comprising a chairperson, expert members, and representatives from the disputing states.
- The DRC is tasked to reach an amicable settlement through negotiation, typically within one year (extendable by six months).
- Water Disputes Tribunal: If the DRC cannot resolve the issue, the matter is referred to a dedicated Water Disputes Tribunal.
- The tribunal must be constituted within a year of the request and is expected to deliver its decision within three years (extendable by two more years). Its decisions are binding on the contested parties.
- Tribunals have been set up for rivers including Krishna, Cauvery, Mahanadi, Mahadayi, Ravi & Beas, Vansadhara, etc.
- Article 262 of the Constitution: It empowers Parliament to legislate for the adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers or river valleys.
