Introduction
Rivers are not just sources of water R but also of culture, emotions, and languages in the country. This is more than true in the case of Cauvery and the people of southern states of India, especially Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The much-revered river Cauvery, more than being a unifier, has, unfortunately, become a source of intense friction between Karna-taka and Tamil Nadu in the last 150 or so years. One of the defining moments in the history of the Cauvery dispute was the signing of the 1924 agreement between the then Madras Presidency and the Mysore princely State. It was expected to settle the dispute, which was then in a nascent stage. But in the post Independence period, particularly after the re-organisation of the States, the dispute took several twists and turns. For over 25 years, the public discourse on the dispute was around the 1924 agreement, which was signed exactly 100 years ago. While Tamil Nadu viewed it as a saviour, Karnataka considered it being inimical to its interests. Though the Supreme Court's judgment in February 2018 rendered the pact irrelevant, the issues thrown up by the agreement continue to find resonance in the Cauvery basin. These issues have larger implications for the riparian States. The basis governing the apportionment of river water and the rights of lower riparian stakeholders are some of them. After the drought of 2016, when the two States were engaged in a heated exchange of words, there has been silence in respect of the core dispute. Recent years have marked a phase of comfort, or even plenty, regarding the water flow in the Cauvery. During 2022-23 (June-May, the period of which is considered a water year), the Central Water Commission's gauging site at Billigundulu on the inter-State border, recorded an unprecedented cumulative flow of 667.55 thousand million cubic feet (tme ft), more than 3.5 times the quantity stipulated by the Supreme Court for Tamil Nadu to receive from Karnataka. The water year-2023-24-has been an exception to the phase of comfort. Even though there were tense moments briefly during August September 2023, the issue did not, fortunately, flare up, possibly due to the sense of realism prevailing among all the stakeholders. It will be far from the truth to state that all the issues concerning the Cauvery have been resolved. The Mekedatu reservoir project, proposed more than 60 years ago and now seen as an opportunity to quench the thirst of the ever-growing Bengaluru city, is a case in point. Besides, the scope for joint venture projects in tapping hydropower remains an area that is largely neglected. However, the present period of quietness is important, as it is only now that a cool and dispassionate view of the history of the dispute can be taken. It is against this backdrop that this monograph has been attempted. Apart from giving an account of the dispute, it is an attempt to delve deeply into the developments that took place since 1990, the year in which the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal came into being. Going beyond the dispute, it looks at various challenges being faced by the river's ecosystem. In a nutshell, the monograph seeks to provide a 360-degree view of the Cauvery and its issues and suggest solutions that are acceptable to all stakeholders.
About The Book
RESOLVING A VEXATIOUS ISSUE Finding a solution to the vexatious Cauvery dispute has been a challenge to even the collective wisdom of veteran politicians, seasoned policy makers, experts and farmers. It even tested the strength of India's federal structure at times. After bickering among riparian constituents of the Cauvery basin for over a century and exhausting all avenues, judiciary, finally, had to do the task of apportioning the quantum of water for each riparian party. This book gives an account of how the dispute evolved over the years, especially after the 1924 Agreement between Madras Presidency and the Princely State of Mysore. It also drives home the point that the last word has not yet been said on the issue. Apart from the subject of water sharing, the work discusses challenges facing the river on various fronts, including environment.
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