Cauvery Water Dispute: Is Karnataka the loser?

River Cauvery is Mother God, breath, life and everything for Karnataka. Cauvery has 21 tributaries like Harangi, Hemavathi, Kabini, Bhavani, Amaravati, Arkavati ….. Since the time of Britishes there Karnataka was deprived of its share of Water. Now the final result of the Cauvery Water Dispute has come and here are the highlights for Kannadigas to know

In addition, the Tribunal reserved some quantity of water for (i) environmental protection and (ii) inevitable escapages into the sea as under:

Tentative monthly deliveries during a normal year to be made available by the State of Karnataka at the inter-State contact point

10 TMC of water is allocated for environmental purposes.
(The expression "TMC" means thousand million cubic feet of water)

The Tribunal's award will come into effect within 90 days of its notification by the Centre. The expression "Cauvery River” includes the main stream of the Cauvery river, all its tributaries and all other streams contributing water directly or indirectly to the Cauvery river.

Who felt what Tamil Nadu Chief Minsiter M. Karunanidhi "Justice has been done to the State." Over time We had discussed the Cauvery issue with 11 Karnataka Chief Ministers, since 1968. Only now has a favourable decision been arrived at.

Kerala Water Resources Minister N. K. Premachandran said three tributaries of the Cauvery — the Kabini, the Pambar and the Bhavani — originated from the State and contributed 147-tmc ft water to the Cauvery. The Government's stand was that the State should get a proportionate share of the waters. Kerala should get at least 99.8 tmcft of the Cauvery waters. However, the tribunal had conceded only less than one-third of the State's demand.

Bone of contention:
Karnataka is the loser in Cauvery dispute since the time of British Rule:
The Tribunal did not put a cap on the irrigated area in the Tamil Nadu basin. 27.29 Acres of Land in Cauvery Basin need 465 TMC water has been put down by the Tribunal. Further, "nothing in the order of this Tribunal shall impair the right or power or authority to regulate within its boundaries the use of water, or to enjoy the benefit of waters within that State in a manner not inconsistent with the order of this Tribunal."

The 270-tmc feet of water per annum earmarked for Karnataka also includes drinking water. The State needs at least 50-tmc feet water for drinking purpose. Then, how can any one irrigate 24-lakh hectare of land with just 220 tmc fit of water?

During June and September in Karnataka Farmers are busy in Irrigation that time Tamil Nadu Farmers are busy with Kurvi Culitvation. Karnataka’s stand is let us reduce water during this time and let them grow propotinonately less and let them grow the same during Samba Cultivation has been rejected. The tribunal has not recognised the groundwater resource, as strongly urged by Karnataka, while quantifying the states’ shares. The state had asserted that TN has 129 tmc ft of groundwater.

“If only the tribunal had accepted even 20-30 per cent of this quantum, our share to TN would have come down,” said a Karnataka advocate. If the Water were released to Mettur Dam Karnataka would have saved 25 TMC of Water but instead of Mettur now the State has to release the water to Billigundulu gauge station. This Station is maintained by the Central Water Commission and they monitor the monthly schedule of water releases.

For More detials see http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Articles/kaveri_dispute.htm in our www.ourkarnataka.com

Tipatooru Chandrashekhar