Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery before outfalling in Bay of Bengal. The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and 1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore.
In this regard, Government of India on June 02, 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof among the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.
The Tribunal was asked to submit its report by August 05, 2005.The term of the tribunal was extended for one year upto August 06, 2006 and again for six months upto Februay 05, 2007.
CWDT gave its report and decision u/s 5(2) of the ISRWD Act, 1956 on February 05, 2007. The party States and Central Govt filed application for clarification/further guidance u/s 5 (3) of the above said Act on April 27, 2007, April 30, 2007 and May 03, 2007 and the Tribunal had to submit a further report within one year from May 03,2007. The Central Govt. on the requests made by the tribunal from time to time extended the period of the submission of the said further report upto November 02, 2017. Now the tribunal has again sought an extension and hence the Govt. has extended the period upto May 02,2018.
Meanwhile, the Party States also filed Special Leave Petition (SLPs) against the above mentioned report and decision of the Tribunal before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court on May 05, 2007 granted Special Leave in the matter.
A Protem Supervisory Committee was constituted for implementation of the final order dated February 5, 2007 as notified vide Notification dated February 19, 2013. The Supervisory Committee consists of the Secretary, Union Ministry of Water Resources as Chairman and the Chief Secretaries of the respective States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry as Members. So far eight meetings of this Committee have been held on June 01,2013, June 12,2013, July 15,2013, November 08,2013, September 28,2015, September 12,2016, September 19,2016 and February 17,2017 at New Delhi.
Decision of CWDT has been challenged by party States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala before Supreme Court by filling Civil Appeals. Supreme Court in its order dated December 09,2016 directed that these Civil Appeals are maintainable and the matter is sub judice in the court.
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