Cauvery Authority Chief Advocates for River Board to Resolve Water Dispute
The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) chairperson has proposed forming a river board to manage reservoirs and resolve water-sharing disputes. The board would oversee operations similar to existing models in other river basins.
Key takeaways
- The Cauvery Water Management Authority chairperson has proposed forming a river board to manage reservoirs and resolve water disputes.
- The proposed board would own, operate, manage, and regulate reservoirs in the entire Cauvery basin.
- Water conservation and judicious use are encouraged, with drinking water and environmental flows prioritized over irrigation in low-yield years.
- The structure is compared to models like the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).
- Aggrieved states can approach the Supreme Court if they disagree with CWMA decisions.
Saumitra Kumar Haldar, chairperson of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), has called for improved agricultural and water management techniques. He also advocated for the creation of a river board to manage reservoirs across the Cauvery basin and settle the ongoing water-sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Mr. Haldar suggested that the proposed river board should be responsible for the ownership, operation, management, and regulation of reservoirs within the entire Cauvery basin. He indicated that in years with low water availability, such as during unfavorable monsoon forecasts, water should be prioritized for drinking, livestock, and environmental needs over irrigation. He noted that in a typical year, the Cauvery basin yields 740 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) of water at 50% dependability, meaning water scarcity occurs in half of the years.
The CWMA chief referenced the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's recommendation for an implementation mechanism, drawing parallels to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The BBMB, a basin authority for projects involving Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab, manages water allocation and scheduling, and synchronizes power generation with irrigation needs. Mr. Haldar also cited the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) as another example of coordinated basin management, where states utilize water released by the DVC through their canal systems in a synchronized manner.
Regarding non-compliance with CWMA directives, Mr. Haldar stated that if a state feels aggrieved by the Authority's decision, its recourse is to approach the Supreme Court. He recalled a previous instance in 2023 where Karnataka had challenged the CWMA's decision in court, and the Authority had defended its ruling and urged the state to comply.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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