THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)
(a) Central Government has so far set up eight tribunals to settle water disputes among the States under the inter-State River Water Dispute (ISRWD) Act, 1956. The details and the current status of each of the inter-State river water sharing dispute in the country are at Annexure-I.
(b) Parties to Agreements/Decision of Tribunals are entitled to their share of water in concerned river basin as per provisions of such Agreements/decision of Tribunals. Supply of water to concerned States varies on year to year basis depending mainly on availability of water in the basin in a particular year and other relevant factors and is monitored by the concerned Board/Authority/regulatory body functioning in a particular river basin/ for project.
(c) The Narmada Control Authority has been set up for implementation of the Award of the Narmada Tribunal. Similarly, a Supervisory Committee has been set up for Cauvery under the Chairpersonship of Secretary (WR, RD & GR) to facilitate implementation mechanism between the four Party States. In addition, other Administrative mechanisms such as Bhakra Beas Management Board, KRMB and GRMB have been put in place under the respective States Reorganization Acts.
(d) The Hon’ble Supreme Court has been seized of implementation order of CWDT dated 05/02/2007 from September 2016 onwards and has directed State of Karnataka to release specified quantum of water on daily basis to be made available at Billigundulu site of CWC. The Hon’ble Supreme Court directed constitution of a Technical Team to visit the Cauvery Basin area to assess the ground realities in the Basin. Accordingly, a High Level Technical was constituted by Ministry of WR,RD&GR. The Team has submitted its report to the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 17.10.2016.
(e) The Union Government endeavors to resolve the disputes through discussions between the States. Failing which, under section 3 of Inter State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, Central Government constitutes a River Water Disputes Tribunal for the adjudication of the water dispute. Whereafter, appropriate mechanisms, control authority, supervisory committee, Board are put in place to implement the Award of the Tribunal.
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Annexure-I
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (c) in respect of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.446 on Inter-State River Water Sharing Disputes for answer on 17.11.2016.
Status of Inter-State water disputes Tribunal constituted under ISRWD Act, 1956
S.
No Name of Tribunal States concerned Date of constitution Present Status
1. Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal
(GWDT) 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. Clarification/explanation sought from the Tribunal under Section 5(3) of the ISRWD Act by the party States.
5. Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) 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. Clarification/explanation sought from the Tribunal under Section 5(3) of the said Act by the party States. Also, 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, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra April, 2004 Report and decision given on 30.12. 2010. Further report given by the Tribunal on 29.11.2013. 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. Term of the Tribunal has been extended for a further period of one year w.e.f. 01.08.2016 to address the terms of reference as contained in section 89 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The Government of Telengana has filed a SLP 33623-26 of 2014 and WP(C) 545 of 2015 in the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter. The matter is sub-judice.
7. VansadharaWater Disputes Tribunal Andhra Pradesh &Odisha February, 2010
However, as per the Supreme Court order the date of reckoning of the constitution of the Tribunal is w.e.f. 17.9.2012 Vansadhara 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. State Govt. of Odisha has filed Special Leave to Appeal (Civil) No.3392 of 2014 with regard to the Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal Judgement dated 17.12.2013. The matter is sub-judice. Final Report and Decision under Section 5(2) of the ISRWD Act, 1956 not given by the Tribunal.
8. Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra November, 2010
However, vide notification dated 13.11.2014
date of reckoning of the constitution of the Tribunal is w.e.f. 21.08.2013 Final Report and Decision under Section 5(2) of the ISRWD Act, 1956 not given by the Tribunal.
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