Centre dissolves 28-year-old Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal

The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), constituted on June 2, 1990, has been dissolved by the Centre as it stated that all the disputes over sharing of the river water among states had reached a "finality" and the panel was no longer needed. The tribunal was constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 for the adjudication of the water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Kerala and Puducherry were the other two states party to the dispute.

The Supreme Court had in February hiked Karnataka's share of Cauvery water by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu's quantum by an equal amount in its verdict to resolve the decades-old dispute. Tamil Nadu was, however, compensated by the court which allowed the state to extract 10 tmcft ground water from the river basin.

In May, the Centre presented a draft of the Cauvery Management Scheme for smooth distribution of water among four southern riparian states -Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry- saying the scheme should be taken to its "logical end".

The intervention was approved by the apex court.

"The Central Government is satisfied that no further reference to the said tribunal in the matter would be necessary. Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 12 of the said Act, the Central Government hereby dissolves the said tribunal," said a notification issued by Sanjay Kundu, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Water Resources on Monday.