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Cauvery Water Dispute: Environmental Impact

The Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal awarded water sharing for the Cauvery River basin, but the allocation did not satisfy Tamil Nadu as they did not receive their full allotment. Karnataka then purchased 10 TMCF of water allocated to Tamil Nadu, claiming it was for drinking water in Bangalore. However, Karnataka receives most of its water from rainfall and Bangalore is outside the Cauvery basin. The construction of the proposed Mekedatu Dam by Karnataka could further reduce the water available to Tamil Nadu for agriculture and drinking. Proper management of existing water resources and a binding judicial verdict are needed to equitably resolve the long-running Cauvery water dispute.

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68 views1 page

Cauvery Water Dispute: Environmental Impact

The Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal awarded water sharing for the Cauvery River basin, but the allocation did not satisfy Tamil Nadu as they did not receive their full allotment. Karnataka then purchased 10 TMCF of water allocated to Tamil Nadu, claiming it was for drinking water in Bangalore. However, Karnataka receives most of its water from rainfall and Bangalore is outside the Cauvery basin. The construction of the proposed Mekedatu Dam by Karnataka could further reduce the water available to Tamil Nadu for agriculture and drinking. Proper management of existing water resources and a binding judicial verdict are needed to equitably resolve the long-running Cauvery water dispute.

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vetrivel
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Any scholar having legal knowledge will place his idea and critique on Cauvery Water Dispute.

Award
was finalized for water sharing for people with Basin of Cauvery River by Cauvery Water Dispute
Tribunal (CWDT). Award was not in satisfactory manner as the Tamil Nadu people did not receive the
said quantity of water.

This issue was addressed in political perspective, later involvement of various scholars and
environmental activist probed environmental issue. Later after the award, Karnataka government
bought 10 TMCF of water which was allocated to Tamil Nadu. The government said that 10 TMCF of
Water will be used for drinking purpose in Bangalore. Karnataka from the recent survey receive almost
70% of water from rainfall, but they made false reason for borrowing 10TMCF from Tamil Nadu. Even,
Kerala which is known to be “God’s Own Country” questioned the extra 4.75 TMCF allocation of Cauvery
Water to Bangalore for drinking purpose. Why Bangalore got its allocation even if the city is outside the
basin.1

Cauvery Water Dispute Committee which is heading a team to resolve the dispute, upon my perspective
has not vision the problem in environmental perspective. Since Union government is dominant, solution
for the dispute is not derived till now.

One of the recent dispute is the Mekedatu Dam which is planned to be constructed in Ramnagar in
Karnataka. There is the possibility were Karnataka government increases its hold on Cauvery River.
Construction of dam and Operational period of dam affects the live hood of people. Pre construction
and during construction of dam involves deforestation in large scale and force migrating people within
the venue of construction. This starting stage of construction cause affects environment and life of
people. Once the Dam operates Karnataka government gains more stand on releasing Cauvery water for
farmers and people of Tamil Nadu. This affects cultivation and reduces the quantity of Cauvery drinking
water for Tamil Nadu.

This reduced water sharing and unstable monsoon rains will affect the agriculture and ground water
level. Even though, previously mentioned effect will be a long term effect, water scarcity problem can be
addressed before itself. The Bangalore City Corporation must follow water management process in
order to make use of both Cauvery water and Bangalore city ground water in effective manner. If they
would have followed water management, 10 TMCF Cauvery water can be used by Tamil Nadu. Proper
authority and binding verdict of judiciary must be the primary guideline to solve Cauvery dispute. No
other government, business personnel etc are allowed to involve in any decision.

1
See,
[Link]
verdict/[Link]

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