Click here to know more on SC verdict in Cauvery dispute
Why in news?
The first meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) took place recently.
What is CWMA?
- The CWMA has been formed by the Centre.
- This is to implement the water-sharing award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal.
- The water sharing will be as modified by the Supreme Court earlier this year.
- The CWMA is expected to meet once every 10 days during the monsoon months.
What is the outcome of the recent meet?
- At its meeting, CWMA asked Karnataka to release 31.24 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water in July.
- The quantum is based on the monthly schedule drawn up by the Tribunal.
- It excludes the surplus realised on the Tamil Nadu side in June.
- Karnataka is planning to challenge in the SC, the Centre’s notification constituting CWMA.
Is Karnataka's claim valid?
- Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 makes clear the Centre’s duty to notify a scheme to implement a Tribunal's award.
- Parliament has the power to modify the scheme, or leave it as it stands.
- But Karnataka’s claim that the scheme requires parliamentary approval before it is implemented is questionable.
- Further, the Supreme Court also approved the draft scheme.
- This was only after finding it to be in consonance with the Award and the 1956 Act.
- It will be unfortunate if this dispute gets into another round of litigation.
What lies ahead for CWMA?
- CWMA needs the cooperation of the States to successfully perform its role.
- This involves gathering data on rainfall, inflows and outflows, cropping patterns and periodic withdrawals from reservoirs.
- Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry should thus approach the issue in a spirit of cooperation.
- The first meeting augurs well for a sustained phase of constructive cooperation among the States concerned.
- With favourable monsoon this year, CWMA may not face any major problem.
- As long as the inflows into Karnataka’s major reservoirs are substantial, it has had no problem releasing its surplus water.
- It is only in a distress year that the CWMA will face a significant challenge.
- Determining the extent of distress, and dividing the shortfall among the States can be challenging tasks.
Source: The Hindu