Cauvery verdict LIVE: SC says rivers are 'national resources'; Bengaluru gets more water for drinking purposes
The Supreme Court today directed the Karnataka government to release 177.25 tmcft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from its inter-state Biligundlu dam.
The Supreme Court today directed the Karnataka government to release 177.25 tmcft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from its inter-state Biligundlu dam.
The judgment clarified that Karnataka will now have an enhanced share of 14.75 tmcft water per year while Tamil Nadu will get 404.25 tmcft, which will be 14.75 tmcft less than what was allotted by the tribunal in 2007.
Earlier, in accordance with the 2007 award of the Cauvery water dispute tribunal, Karnataka had a share of 270 tmcft of Cauvery water. This will now increase to 284.75 tmcft.
The much-awaited judgment was pronounced by a bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar, which had on September 20 last year reserved the verdict on the appeals filed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala against the 2007 award of the tribunal.
Reading out the operative portion of the verdict, the Chief Justice said the 2007 tribunal award of 30 tmcft to Kerala and 7 tmcft water to Puducherry will remain unchanged.
The apex court also allowed Tami Nadu to draw an additional 10 tmcft 'groundwater' from a total of 20 tmcft beneath the Cauvery basin.
It said the increase in share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft is because of the 10 tmcft groundwater and 4.75 tmcft drinking water requirement for Bengaluru residents.
Here are live updates:
The apex court said drinking water has to be kept on the highest pedestal.
It said its order on Cauvery water allocation will continue for the next 15 years.
Latest Updates
Commuters face inconvenience at Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border; say, 'transporters are not willing to cross border and are not even returning the money of tickets,' reports news agency ANI.
‘We are very happy with the verdict. The verdict is a balance verdict which protects interest of both the states. This is a good judgement which will go long way in ensuring peace in both the states,’ Mohan V Katarki, counsel for the state of Karnataka said.
Reactions have started pouring in Tamil Nadu also. State’s Opposition party DMK has expressed disappointment over the verdict. DMK leader Saravanan said, ‘We have to assess the impact of this reduced water supply.’ He also said that the impact of the verdict on the farmers have to be seen.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike workers celebrate in Hosur after Supreme Court allotted Karnataka an additional 14.75TMC ft share of Cauvery water.
We believe in verdict of the court and respect it. Surely, this is not enough. We have raised the shortfall of water with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari who has two plans to address the issue, one of which is linking river Godavari with Kallanai, says A Navaneethakrishnan
Originally awarded 192 TMC water to Tamil Nadu has been reduced with SC order. 14.75 TMC extra water has been given to Karnataka to provide drinking water to Bengaluru city. We hope that TN government will take appropriate steps, says A Navaneethakrishnan, lawyer for Tamil Nadu.
There are reports that the Karnataka police is sending all Karnataka vehicles back to Bengaluru from Attibale.
In 2007, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) had ordered 419 TMC for Tamil Nadu, 270 TMC for Karnataka, 30 TMC for Kerala and seven TMC for Puducherry.
The Supreme Court made it clear that increase in share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 TMC has been done keeping in view the fact that there is an increased demand of drinking water by Bengaluru and also for many industrial activities.
In its landmark judgment on key water dispute, the Supreme Court says ‘rivers are national resources’. The top court also said that no single state can claim exclusive right over an inter-state river simply because it originates from that particular state.
The top court has allotted 4.75 TMC Cauvery water to ‘global city’ Bengaluru for drinking purpose
After the verdict, Tamil Nadu will have to rely on 10 TMC ground water available with it.
Supreme Court said that 20 TMC of ground water in Tamil Nadu had not been accounted for and needed to be seen.
No change of water allocation for Kerala and Puducherry.
Karnataka to get an additional 14.75 TMC, says Supreme Court
177.25 TMC of Cauvery water to be released for Tamil Nadu, decides Supreme Court
Security has been beefed up along Tamil Nadu, Karnataka borders. There are reports that bus services between two states have also been suspended.