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Cauvery Water Management Authority Meeting

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July 04, 2018

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

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