Cauvery water dispute

The sharing of waters of the river Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict between the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for quite some time. But recently it has assumed dangerous proportions. It is a well established and internationally accepted norm that in the case of international/ interstate rivers the lower riparian nations/states have primacy over the right share the water. Many water sharing agreements have been reached among many countries and by and large they are rarely breached. India has water sharing agreements with Pakistan as well as Bangladesh. Although India’s overall relationship with Pakistan is acrimonious and contentious the agreement between the two countries in sharing Indus' water is relatively secure. Similarly after  a comprehensive bilateral treaty was signed by the then-Indian Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda and the then-Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed on December 12, 1996,the sharing of the Ganges' waters is no more an acrimonious issue. This is because of clear laid down rules of Law on water sharing. Because India is a federal democracy, and because rivers cross state boundaries, constructing efficient and equitable mechanisms for allocating river flows has long been an important legal and constitutional issue. Numerous inter-state river-water disputes have erupted since independence. A recent dispute over use of the Yamuna River among the states of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, was resolved by conferences involving three state Chief Ministers, as well as the central government after intervention by the Supreme Court had failed. However inter-state water disputes continue to fester. Of all such disputes, the Cauvery River dispute between Tamilnadu and Karnataka rages on without a resolution in sight. The two sister states fighting, where everything is common, is a shame on the politicians on both sides. Historical natural flow at Cauvery dwindled due to intervention in the upstream by Karnataka, i.e. by unilaterally constructing numerous dams and barrages. Tamilnadu being a lower riparian state has been subjected to bullying on the Cauvery water and over the years the quantum of water released by Karnataka to Tamilnadu has progressively been diminished, which is totally against the water sharing agreement between the two states. It has become a characteristic feature that only the surplus water is being  released to Tamilnadu.

Once Cauvery was a perennial flowing river and water flowed upto the tail end almost throughout the year. As a result agriculture was developed in the delta area of Cauvery over centuries. And the Cauvery delta was one of the most prosperous regions of India as well as the whole world. The numerous big temples found all over the Cauvery delta region is the standing indicator of the prosperity of the region. But in the past, when agriculture was widely practiced in the delta region, the area now covered under the upper riparian region in the present Karnataka state agriculture was not developed and the people of the region continued to practice tribal farming methods. But in the course of the twentieth century the people of the upper riparian region now in Karnataka also slowly learned to undertake modern farm in and started drawing more water form the river Cauvery for agriculture. Moreover due rapid growth of population more and more area of land has been brought under cultivation in the recent decades, particularly after independence, and stated drawing more and more water. Similarly, large quantity of water has been drawn for drinking water needs. But the Karnataka state never took any steps to make efficient use of water. Because of expanded agriculture and increase in supply of drinking water, Karnataka state started  drawing excessively large proportion of Cauvery water. It constructed so many dams and barracks across Cauvery due to which the Tamilnadu’s legitimate share of Cauvery water was denied. The saddening aspect is that the Karnataka state constructed new dams without the consent of the lower riparian states and clearance from the central government. Now the situation has become very dangerous and paddy crops over 12 lakh acres are withering. The pity is that the Kuruvai crop raised by the delta farmers also had failed due to water scarcity.  Now the Samba crop is also under threat of failure. The Cauvery delta farmers in Tamil Nadu are deprived of their source of livelihood due to crop failure.

While the Tamilnadu government is taking all possible steps to save the Samba crops, the Karnataka state is adamant in refusing to release the legitimate share of the former. Moreover, the Central government is keeping stony silence on the issue of Cauvery water dispute. The attitude and actions of the central government are unconstitutional and favouring Karnataka state. It is the constitutional duty of the Prime Minister of India and the Cabinet headed by him to intervene strongly at times of natural calamity such as drought, flood and epidemics. Moreover, when crisis occurs in a states due to rioting and other forms of public disorder the Central government has to intervene and provide necessary assistance to the states. Similarly, when other crises like fiscal problems arise due to unforeseen contingencies arising out of natural calamities, riots and so on, the centre has to rise to the occasion and impartially render assistance to the states. Although the Prime Minister of the country is elected on party lines, he has to rise above politics and treat all the states equally irrespective of which party is in power in a state. It is the basic tenets of the functioning of a Prime Minister and the government in a federal democracy like India. Now the question is whether our Prime Minster and the central government are free from partisan attitudes and treating all the states equally and impartially? The answer is big no, particularly in regard to Tamilnadu. Tamilnadu is now reeling under severe power cut due the wrong policies and priorities of the previous DMK regime, which is now the major partner of the UPA II government headed by Dr.Manmohan Singh. He has not taken efforts to provide relief to the power starved state of Tamilnadu. Now, coming to realities regarding Cauvery water dispute, the Prime Minister never cared to take any tangible step to solve it. While he is taking undue efforts to canvass support of various political parties for FDI in retail trade through dinner diplomacy and stooping to the level of offering various concessions to leaders of certain political parties in order to garner support, he has not found time to call the Chief Ministers of Tamilnadu and Karnataka and tried to find an amicable solution. Moreover, he has not properly attended to the request of the Tamilnadu Chief Minister through numerous letters for center's help. Tamilnadu has again and again been forced to approach the Supreme Court for some remedy. And only after the direction from the Supreme Court, he convened a meeting of Cauvery   River Authority, in which he is the Chairman, and directed Karnataka to release some water for Tamilnadu. But why has not he taken any steps to implement his order? Is he not partial and favouring Karnataka? Has he not shirked his responsibility as the head of the country and supreme authority? What is more, the final order issued by the Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal in 2007 about the sharing of water is yet to be gazetted by the central government, apparently because that could raise the hackles of Karnataka. It is time for the Prime Minister and the UPA government to apply reason and intervene strongly to resolve the issue amicably and thereby save the farmers of Cauvery delta.