Interstate River water sharing
disputes is accelerating in India. River water disputes within the country is
more common in peninsula component than Himalayan.
As rivers crossing more than one
states to become interstate rivers. The water is a state subject under the 7th
schedule (list 2), entry 17 of Indian Constitution as water is being used by
state for agriculture through canal irrigation development ,hydro power
generation and water storage for drinking and industrial useage. Since
river water has a development role every
state want to capitalise more and more on it.
Even
though, demand for water is increasing due to:
--- to extend the irrigation area, to increase the
agricultural production and productivity ,to make agriculture cycle free from
monsoon, commercialisation of agriculture, useage of more fertiliser and HYV
seeds.
--- to increase farm income, ensuring regional
development by removing poverty and backwardness, rural development
---- to address the issues of drought affected areas,
vulnerabilities to their people, to improve ecology and environment,
--- increasing population is increasing the rate of
urbanisation and commercialisation which further increasing domestic and
industrial demand for water.
But,
water supplies is shrinking due to:
--- overconsumption, wastage, contamination, pollution
of river water,
---- less water storage structure such as dams,
reservoirs and barrages leading to more than 80% rain water remain unused and
goes to sea without use.
---- faulty agricultural practices leads to
overexploitation of water resources
--- climate change and global warming is changing
weather patterns, rainfall pattern, extreme weather events , floods and
droughts, thus decreasing water availability.
--- uneven distribution of water resources both
temporal and spatial.
--- lack of infrastructure to divert water to canals,
to deficit basins,etc
--- mismanagement of water resources
--- incompletion of projects ,etc.,
Water
crisis is deepening due to widening gap between demand and supply of water
resources in all the states of India. Under this scenario other factors are
complicating the water sharing agreement among the states are :
-- political (
vote bank politics, appealing )
-- economic
--- environmental
--- social
--- technical
many
disputes and disagreement is being
arising or already arised due to deeping of water crisis.
The
details of the Tribunals set up so far by the Government to settle water
disputes among the States under the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD)
Act, 1956 are as under:-
Present
Status
1.
Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal
Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh & Odisha April, 1969
Award
given on July, 1980
2.
Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal -I
Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,
April,
1969 Award given on May, 1976
3.Narmada
Water Disputes Tribunal
Rajasthan,
Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra October, 1969 Award given on December,
1979
4.Ravi
& Beas Water Tribunal Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan April, 1986 Report and
decision under section 5(2) given in April, 1987. A Presidential Reference in
the matter is before Supreme Court and as such the matter is sub-judice.
5.
Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
Kerala,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puduchery June, 1990 Report and decision given on
5.2.2007 which was published vide Notification dated 19.2.2013. Special Leave
Petition (SLP) filed by party States in Hon’ble Supreme Court, as such the
matter is sub-judice.
6.Krishna
Water Disputes Tribunal -II
Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra
April,
2004 Report and decision given on 30.12. 2010. Further report given by the
Tribunal on 29.11.2013. Term of the
Tribunal has been extended for two year w.e.f. 1stAugust, 2014 to address the
terms of reference as contained in section 89 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation
Act, 2014. However, as per Supreme Court Order dated 16.9.2011, till further
order, decision taken by the Tribunal on references filed by States and Central
Government shall not be published in the official Gazette. As such, matter is
sub-judice.
7.
Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal
Andhra
Pradesh & Odisha February, 2010. Besides, Hon’bleVansadhara Water Disputes
Tribunal in its Order dated 17.12.2013 has directed to constitute a 3-member
Protem Supervisory Flow Management and Regulation Committee on River Vansadhara
to implement its Order.The Vamsadhara tribunal pronounced its final verdict in
September 2017 and permitted AP state to construct the side weir at Katragedda
and Neradi barrage.
8.
Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal
Goa,
Karnataka and Maharashtra November, 2010 Report and Decision not given by the
Tribunal.
9.
Mahanadi water dispute tribunal
established in March 2018, on the direction of Supreme Court to
adjudicate water sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh states.
other 3 interstate river disputes is pending
in centre and still it's tribunal not constituted . They are follows :--
1.
Polavaram (Indira sagar) dam in Andhra
Pradesh is being disputed with Odisha , since it is submerging tribal areas .
2.
Bhabali barrage on Godavari river is being constructed by Maharashtra is
objected by Andhra Pradesh since, it is submerging the Pochampad Project (Sriramsagar Project) in
violation of the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal (GWDT) award dated 7.07.1980.
3.
Mulla Periyar Dam in Tamil Nadu. The dispute here is basically about safety of
an over 120 year-old dam, which if it beaches, will affect Kerala, when all the
benefits are going to Tamil Nadu. Kerala, is demanding the dismantling of the
dam.
River(s) States
Krishna Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka
Godavari Maharashtra, AP, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh and Odisha
Narmada Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat,
Maharashtra
Cauvery Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Union
Territory of Pondicherry
Krishna Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra
Mandovi/Mahadayi/ Goa, Karnataka and Mahasrashtra
Ravi
Beas Punjab,Haryana
,Rajasthan and himachal pradesh
Mahanadi
Odisha
and Chattishgarh
Vansadhara
Andhra Pradesh & Odisha