(a) whether the Government is bringing ‘Water’ under the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India to solve inter-State water disputes and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of inter-State water disputes that are pending; and
(c) whether the inter-linking of rivers is likely to solve any of the above disputes and if so, the current status of inter-linking of river projects?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)
(a) At present, there is no proposal to bring ‘Water’ under the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India.
(b) The Parliament has enacted Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 for adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers and river valley thereof. When any request under the said Act is received from any State Government in respect of any water dispute on the inter-State rivers and the Central Government is of the opinion that the water dispute cannot be settled by negotiations, the Central Government constitutes a Water Disputes Tribunal for the adjudication of the water dispute. Currently, 5 Water Disputes Tribunals are under adjudication, details of which are given at Annexure- I.
(c) The National Perspective Plan (NPP) was prepared by the then Ministry of Irrigation (now Ministry of Jal Shakti) in August 1980 for water resources development through transferring water from water surplus basins to water-deficit basins. The improved water availability in water-deficit basins may address issues related to water disputes.
Under the NPP, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component and 14 under Himalayan Component). The details of above river linking projects is given at Annexure-II.
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ANNEXURE-I
Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2352 to be answered on 05.03.2020 on ‘Water Under Concurrent List’.
Details of Water Disputes Tribunals currently under adjudication
S.
No Name of Tribunal States concerned Date of constitution Present Status
1 Ravi & Beas Water Tribunal Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan 2nd April, 1986 Report and decision under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act given in April, 1987. Clarification / explanation sought from the Tribunal under Section 5(3) of the said Act by the party States. The matter is subjudice.
2 Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal - II Karnataka, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra 2nd April, 2004 Report and decision under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act given on 30.12.2010. Further report section 5(3) given by the Tribunal on 29.11.2013. However, as per Supreme Court Order dated 16.9.2011, till further order, report/decision of the Tribunal shall not be published in the official Gazette. The matter is sub-judice.
The Tribunal is currently hearing matters as per section 89 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Further, the Government of Telengana has filed a SLP 33623-26 of 2014 and WP(C) 545 of 2015 in the Supreme Court in the matter. The matter is thus sub-judice.
3 Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal Andhra Pradesh & Odisha 24th February, 2010
Report and decision under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act given on 13.09.2017. Further references under section 5(3) have been filed by the party States and the Central Government before the Tribunal. The matter is sub-judice.
4 Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra 16th November, 2010
Report and decision under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act given on 14.08.2018. Further references under section 5(3) have been filed by the party States and the Central Government before the Tribunal. The award and final decision of the Tribunal under section 5(2) has been notified on 27.02.2020 as per direction of Hon’ble Supreme Court. The matter is sub-judice.
5 Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and M.P. 12th March, 2018 Matter is sub-judice before the Tribunal under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act.
ANNEXURE-II
Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2352 to be answered on 05.03.2020 on ‘Water Under Concurrent List’.
Details of Inter Basin Water Transfer Links
Sl. No Name Rivers States concerned Status of PFR/FR/DPR
Peninsular Component
1 Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link Mahanadi & Godavari Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, & Chattisgarh FR Completed
2 Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Pulichintala) link Godavari & Krishna -do- FR Completed
3 Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link Godavari & Krishna Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Chattisgarh, FR Completed
4 Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada) link Godavari & Krishna Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, & Chattisgarh FR Completed
5 Krishna (Almatti) – Pennar link Krishna & Pennar -do- FR Completed
6 Krishna (Srisailam) – Pennar link Krishna & Pennar -do- FR Completed
7 Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila ) link Krishna & Pennar Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka, FR Completed
8 Pennar (Somasila) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link Pennar & Cauvery Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Puducherry FR Completed
9 Cauvery (Kattalai) - Vaigai -Gundar link Cauvery, Vaigai & Gundar Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Puducherry FR Completed
10 Ken-Betwa link
Ken & Betwa Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh FR & DPR (Ph-I,II & Comprehensive) Completed
11 Parbati -Kalisindh- Chambal link Parbati, Kalisindh & Chambal Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh (UP requested to be consulted during consensus building) FR Completed
12 Par-Tapi-Narmada link Par, Tapi & Narmada Maharashtra & Gujarat FR & DPR Completed
13 Damanganga - Pinjal link Damanganga & Pinjal Maharashtra & Gujarat FR & DPR Completed
14 Bedti - Varda link Bedti & Varda Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka PFR Completed
15 Netravati – Hemavati link Netravati & Hemavati Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & Kerala PFR Completed
16 Pamba - Achankovil - Vaippar link Pamba, Achankovil & Vaippar Kerala & Tamil Nadu, FR Completed
Contd…
Himalayan Component
1. Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga (M-S-T-G) link Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga Assam, West Bengal, Bihar & Bhutan PFR completed
2. Kosi-Ghaghra link Kosi & Ghaghra Bihar , Uttar Pradesh & Nepal PFR completed
3. Gandak-Ganga link Gandak & Ganga -do- Draft FR completed
(Indian portion)
4. Ghaghra-Yamuna link Ghaghra & Yamuna -do- FR completed (Indian portion)
5. Sarda-Yamuna link Sarda & Yamuna Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand & Nepal FR completed (Indian portion)
6. Yamuna-Rajasthan link Yamuna & Sukri Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana & Rajasthan Draft FR completed
7. Rajasthan-Sabarmati link Sabarmati -do- Draft FR completed
8. Chunar-Sone Barrage link Ganga & Sone Bihar & Uttar Pradesh Draft FR completed
9. Sone Dam – Southern Tributaries of Ganga link Sone & Badua Bihar & Jharkhand PFR completed
10. Ganga(Farakka)-Damodar-Subernarekha link Ganga, Damodar & Subernarekha West Bengal, Odisha & Jharkhand Draft FR completed
11. Subernarekha-Mahanadi link Subernarekha & Mahanadi West Bengal & Odisha Draft FR
Completed
12.
Kosi-Mechi link Kosi & Mechi Bihar , West Bengal & Nepal PFR completed Entirely lies in Nepal
13. Ganga (Farakka)-Sunderbans link Ganga & Ichhamati West Bengal Draft FR completed
14. Jogighopa-Tista-Farakka link
(Alternative to M-S-T-G) Manas, Tista & Ganga -do- (Alternative to M-S-T-G Link) Dropped
• PFR- Pre Feasibility Report
• FR- Feasibility Report
• DPR- Detailed Project Report
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