Lok Sabha Question No. 4240 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-11
Subject: Inter-State River Water Sharing Disputes
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4240

ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016

## INTER-STATE RIVER WATER SHARING DISPUTES

## 4240. SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI

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

(a) the details of the pending Inter-State river water sharing disputes and related issues;

(b) the steps including nationalisation and interlinking of rivers taken to resolve these disputes; and

(c) whether the amendments made during 2002 in the Inter-State River Water Dispute Act, 1956 have failed to attain the objectives and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

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

- (b) The  mechanism  for  settlement  of  water  disputes  is  already  available  in  the  form  of  ISRWD  Act, 1956. No  proposal  is  under  consideration  of  the  Central  Government  for  nationalization  of  the  rivers. However, this Ministry has formulated a National Prospective Plan (NPP) for water resources development envisaging interbasin transfer of water in the Country. NWDA has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component & 14 under Himalayan  Component)  for  preparation  of  Feasibility  Reports.  After  survey  and investigations feasibility Reports of 14 links under Peninsular Component and two links in the Himalayan components have been  prepared.  The  DPRs  of  Ken-Betwa  Phase  I  &  II,  Daman-Ganga-Pinjal,  Par-TapiNarmada have  been  prepared  and  shared  with  the  States.      Pre-Feasibility  Reports  of  36  Intra-State  link proposals out of 46 proposals of Intra-State links have been completed.

(c) Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 was amended in the year 2002 in consultation, whereby adjudication  of  water  disputes  by  the  Tribunals  was  made  time-bound.  The  proposal  to  further  amend ISRWD Act, 1956 is at a conceptual stage.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4240 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016 IN LOK SABHA REGARDING INTER-STATE RIVER WATER SHARING DISPUTES

Status of Inter-State water disputes over the sharing of river water under  to Tribunal

|   S. No | Name of Tribunal                    | States concerned                                                | Date 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 5(2) given in April, 1987. Clarification/explanation sought from the Tribunal under Section 5(3) of the said Act by the party States. Also, a Presidential Reference in the matter is before Supreme Court and as such the matter is sub-judice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|       5 | Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal     | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puduchery                     | June, 1990          | Report and decision given on 5.2.2007 which was published vide Notification dated 19.2.2013. Further, report of CWDT u/s 5(3) of the Act is awaited. Also, Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by party States in Hon'ble Supreme Court, as such the matter is sub-judice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|       6 | Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal -II | Karnataka, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra            | April, 2004         | Report and decision given on 30.12. 2010. Further report given by the Tribunal on 29.11.2013. However, as per Supreme Court Order dated 16.9.2011, till further order, decision taken by the Tribunal on references filed by States and Central Government shall not be published in the official Gazette. As such, matter is sub-judice. Term of the Tribunal has been extended for a further period of two year w.e.f. 1 st August, 2014 to address the terms of reference as contained in section 89 of Andhra |

| S. No   | Name of Tribunal                   | States concerned               | Date of constitution                                                                                                                  | Present Status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|---------|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         |                                    |                                |                                                                                                                                       | Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The term of KWDT-II has further extended for period of one year w.e.f. 1 st August, 2016. The matter is under adjudication in the Tribunal. The Government of Telengana has filed a SLP 33623-26 of 2014 and WP(C) 545 of 2015 in the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the matter. The matter is sub-judice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 7.      | Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal | Andhra Pradesh &Odisha         | February, 2010 However, as per the Supreme Court order the date of reckoning of the constitution of the Tribunal is w.e.f. 17.9.2012  | Report and decision not given by the Tribunal. State of Odisha has filed an SLP in Supreme Court against the appointment of one of the Members of the Tribunal. The SLP in the matter filed by the State of Odisha in the Supreme Court is pending. The matter is sub-judice. Besides, Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal in its Order dated 17.12.2013 has directed to constitute a 3-member Protem Supervisory Flow Management and Regulation Committee on River Vansadhara to implement its Order. State Govt. of Odisha has filed Special Leave to Appeal (Civil) No.3392 of 2014 with regard to the Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal Judgement dated 17.12.2013. The matter is sub-judice. |
| 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 the Tribunal.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |