Lok Sabha Question No. 3330 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-15
Subject: Tribunals for River Water Sharing Disputes amongst States
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 3330 ANSWERED ON 15.0 3.201 8

## TRIBUNALS FOR RIVER WATER SHARING DISPUT ES AMONGST STATES

## 3330. SHRI NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  certain  tribunals  have  been  constituted  for  settlement  of  river  water  sha amongst States in the country so far and if so, the det ails and the outcome thereof;

(b) whether these tribunals are taking much time to finalize the disputes and if so, the by mentioning the outcome of each tribunal;

(c) whether the Government proposes to make any solution to the situation a rising due to river water sharing disputes amongst States; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the action to be taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a)  &  (b) The  Parliament  has  enacted  Inter - State  River  Water  Disputes  (ISRWD)  Act,  1956  for adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter - State  rivers  and  river  valley  thereof.  When  a request under the said Act is receive d from any State Government in respect of any water dispute the inter - State rivers and the Central Government is of the opinion that the water dispute settled  by  negotiations,  the  Central  Government  constitutes  a  Water  Disputes  Tribuna e adjudication of the water dispute.

On the complaint made by the State Governments, the Central Government has, so far, 08 tribunals to settle water disputes among the States under the ISRWD Act, 1956. The present status of various inter - State water disputes over the sharing of river water is at Annexure .

(c) & (d) In order to further streamline the adjudication of inter - State river water disputes, the Inter -State River Water Disputes (Amend ment) Bill, 2017 has been introduced in Lok Sabha by the Mini for  WR,  RD  &  GR  on  14.03.2017.  The  Bill  envisages  to  constitute  a  standalone  Tribuna permanent establishment and permanent office space and infrastructure so as to obviate wi d to set up a separate tribunal for each water dispute which is invariably a time - consuming process. The proposed amendments in the Bill will speed up the adjudication of water disputes referre Bill  was  referred  to  Parliamentary  Standing  Commit tee  on  Water  Resources  for  examination.  The Standing Committee has submitted its recommendation on the Bill vide Lok Sabha Secretari dated 11.08.2017 in the form of 'Nineteenth Report of Standing Committee on Water Resources on The  Inter - State  Riv er  Water  Disputes  (Amendment)  Bill,  2017'.  Accordingly,  the  Ministry  has prepared  draft  Cabinet  Note  for  Official  Amendments  to  Inter - State  River  Water  Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

*****

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  Parts (a)  &  (b) of  the Unstarred  Question  No. 3330 to  be answered in Lok Sabha on 15.03.2018 regarding 'Tribunals for River Water Sharing Disputes amongst States'

## Status of Inter - State water disputes over the sharing of river water under  Tribunals

1987.

Punjab matter

is vide  Notification

|   S. No | Name of Tribunal                    | States concerned                                               | Date of constitution   | Present Status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|---------|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal    | Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh &Odisha | April, 1969            | Award given on July, 1980                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|       2 | Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal -I  | Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,                        | April, 1969            | Award given on May, 1976                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|       3 | Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal     | Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra             | October, 1969          | Award given on December, 1979                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|       4 | Ravi & Beas Water Tribunal          | Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan                                  | April, 1986            | Report and decision under section given in April, Clarification/explanation sought Tribunal under Section 5(3) of the by the party States. Presidential 1 of 2004 was made on the Termination of Agreements Act, 2 004. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has pronounced the judgement on Presidential negative. Further, Government of has filed IA No. 6 of 2016 in OS 1996 in the matter. The subjudice. |
|       5 | Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal     | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puduchery                    | June, 1990             | Report and decision given on which was published vide dated 19.2.2013. The party States filed Civil Appeals against the CWDT dated 5.2.2007 before the Court . In this regard, the Supreme has pronounced its verdict                                                                                                                                                                               |
|       6 | Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal -II | Karnataka, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra           | April, 2004            | Report and decision given on 30.12. Further report given by the 29.11.2013. However, as per Court Order dated 16.9.2011, till order, decision taken by the references filed by States and                                                                                                                                                                                                           |

| S. No   | Name of Tribunal                   | States concerned               | Date of constitution                                                                                                                  | Present Status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         |                                    |                                |                                                                                                                                       | Government shal l not be published official Gazette. As such, matter - judice. Term of the Tribunal was for a period of two years w.e.f. 1 st August, 2014 to address the terms of contained in section 89 of Andhra Reorganisation Act , 2014. Thereafter, term of the Tribunal has been twice for one year each viz. for a one year w.e.f. 01.08.2016 and for of one year w.e.f. 01.08.2017. The is under adjudication in the Government of Telen gana has filed a 33623- 26 of 2014 and WP(C) 545 of in the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the matter. The matter is thus sub - judice. |
| 7       | Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal | Andhra Pradesh &Odisha         | February, 2010 However, as per Supreme Court order the date of reckoning of the constitution the Tribunal is 17.9.2012                | the of w.e.f. The Tribunal has submitted its Central Government under Section the ISRWD Act, 1956 on Further, State of Odisha and the Government have filed reference Section 5(3) of the ISRWD Act, 11.12.2017 and 12.12.2017 The matter is thus under adjudication Tribunal.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 8       | Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal   | Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra | November, 2010 However, vide notification dated 13.11.2014 date of reckoning of the constitution of the Tribunal is w.e.f. 21.08.2013 | Report and Decision not given by Tribunal u/s 5(2) of ISRWD Act,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

*****