Topic:- cauvery water war
**Author-Monidipa Nandy , a student of shyambazar law college
The Cauvery River water dispute is a long-standing conflict between the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The dispute has its roots in historical agreements and differing demands, and it has been exacerbated by the climate crisis.
The Cauvery River flows through the southern Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The sharing of waters of the Cauvery River has been the source of a serious conflict between the two states.
The Government of India constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on June 2, 1990, to adjudicate the water dispute between the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry with respect to the inter-state Cauvery water and river basin.
The CWDT passed an interim order on June 25, 1991, directing the State of Karnataka to release water from its reservoir in Karnataka so that in a water year, 205 million cubic feet (TalMC) of water to the Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu, either monthly or as a weekly assessment, between May 2016 to May 31.
The latest chapter unfolded on Thursday, September 21, 2023, after the Supreme Court declined to intervene in the matter and upheld the directive of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), instructing the Karnataka government to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.
What is the history of the Cauvery water dispute?:-
The Cauvery River water dispute is a long-standing conflict between the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The dispute has its roots in historical agreements and differing demands, and it has been exacerbated by the climate crisis. The sharing of waters of the Cauvery River has been the source of a serious conflict between the two states. The Government of India constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on June 2, 1990, to adjudicate the water dispute between the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry with respect to the inter-state Cauvery water and river basin. The CWDT passed an interim order on June 25, 1991, directing the State of Karnataka to release water from its reservoir in Karnataka so that in a water year, 205 million cubic feet (TalMC) of water to the Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu, either monthly or as a weekly assessment, between May 2016 to May 31. The latest chapter unfolded on Thursday, September 21, 2023, after the Supreme Court declined to intervene in the matter and upheld the directive of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), instructing the Karnataka government to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.
What is the impact of the Cauvery water dispute on the environment?:-
The Cauvery water dispute has had a significant impact on the environment. The dispute is strongly connected to climate change and its effects on water resources.
The Cauvery River basin is facing major challenges such as water shortages, environmental degradation, and inefficient water use, all aggravated by changing climate and its impacts on demand, supply, and water quality.
Pollution, deforestation, and climate change have wreaked havoc on the river, leading to declining water quality and fish stocks.
The proposed dam at Mekedatu, if built, would diminish water flow in Cauvery drastically and wreak havoc on the environment, including deforestation.
Changing weather patterns, combined with rapid urbanization and rising consumption, have exacerbated the dispute in recent years.
The Cauvery water dispute is more than an escalated local issue; it is an urgent cautionary tale.
What is possible solution of cauvery water dispute?
The Cauvery water dispute is a long-standing issue between the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The dispute is about the sharing of the Cauvery river water between the two states. The Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal was established in 1990 to resolve the matter, which took 17 years to arrive at the final order in 2007 on how Cauve