Relevance: GS Paper II – Federalism, Inter-State Water Disputes
Source: The Hindu, Supreme Court Proceedings
The News
The Supreme Court has termed Tamil Nadu’s plea against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu reservoir across the Cauvery River as premature. Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) is still being examined by experts of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).
The Court reiterated that no project can proceed without approvals from the Central Water Commission (CWC), CWMA and CWRC.
Tamil Nadu argues that the reservoir will reduce downstream flows; Karnataka asserts that water releases to Tamil Nadu will continue as per the Cauvery Tribunal (2007) and Supreme Court (2018) directions.
Dispute at a Glance (Prelims Focus)
Stakeholder | Concern / Position |
| Tamil Nadu | Fears “impounding of flows”, potential reduction in irrigation water. |
| Karnataka | Claims no impact on TN’s allocated share; project aimed at drinking water for Bengaluru & power generation. |
| CWC / CWMA | DPR under technical scrutiny; approvals mandatory before execution. |
| Supreme Court | Petition premature; statutory process must continue. |
Brief Timeline
Year | Key Development |
| 2018 | SC upholds Cauvery Tribunal, mandates non-alteration of release patterns. |
| 2021–24 | Karnataka submits DPR; scrutiny begins. |
| 2024–25 | Tamil Nadu petitions SC to halt deliberations. |
| 2025 | SC declines intervention; process to continue. |
Larger Issues & Recommendations
Issue | Suggested Measures |
| Inter-state water conflicts | Strengthen basin-level institutions with greater authority. |
| Downstream flow security | Joint hydrological monitoring & transparent data sharing. |
| Ecological concerns | Environmental flow norms & cumulative impact assessments. |
| Governance gaps | Faster decision-making through empowered CWMA & CWC. |
| Development vs equity | Negotiated solutions balancing drinking water, irrigation & ecology. |
Way Ahead
The Supreme Court’s view reinforces that all technical, environmental and interstate evaluations must be completed before judicial intervention. Both States must work within the Cauvery Tribunal’s framework and the 2018 SC ruling to ensure equitable and sustainable water-sharing.
One-line Wrap:
The Supreme Court has upheld procedural discipline in the Cauvery dispute, directing that Mekedatu’s fate be decided only after full technical and statutory scrutiny.
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