Cauvery-dispute: SC orders Karnataka to release 177.25tmcft water to TN
Delivering its judgement in the 125-year-old Cauvery dispute, the Supreme Court has ordered Karnataka to release 177.25tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu (TN) instead of 192tmcft. Bengaluru will receive an additional 4.2tmcft owing to its water crisis, the court added. Thousands of policemen have been deployed across Karnataka and TN to ensure calm. Here's all you need to know.
The decades-old river water sharing dispute at a glance
The dispute dates back to pre-independence agreements (1892 and 1924) between Mysore and Madras Presidency. In 1990, the SC constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT). In 2007, in its final decision, it awarded TN 419tmcft of water. Karnataka got 270 tmcft, Kerala 30 tmcft and Puducherry 7tmcft. Karnataka challenged the decision in the SC again. Kerala and TN followed.
There have been attempts at out-of-court settlement too
Stakeholders have also tried to resolve the dispute themselves. In 2003, a group of farmers, water experts and others came together as the 'Cauvery Family' to work out a solution. They held discussions, visited each other's problem areas and conducted ground assessment. But due to lack of political backing, the negotiations broke down. Last month, Karnataka explicitly rejected TN's demand for more water.
The water-sharing dispute has claimed lives in the past
The issue has even triggered violence. In 2016, after an interim order by the SC, clashes broke out in Bengaluru. At least one person was killed, malls ransacked, buses set ablaze and locals harassed. Violence rocked Karnataka's Mandya, Mysuru and Hassan districts too. Security has been beefed up in both states today. Section 144 has been imposed in several places.
