Nearly three months after the Supreme Court directed the Centre to form a scheme implementing its judgment in the Cauvery dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the Centre has filed a draft of the scheme to the Supreme Court on Monday.
According to PTTV, the Union Water Resources Secretary UV Singh reportedly said, “A scheme equal to the Cauvery Management Board has been recommended. The scheme would undertake the work of the Water Dispute Tribunal.”
The apex court allegedly made it clear that it will not go into the legality or the propriety of the scheme. The stakeholders- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Karnataka- were all given copies of the scheme’s draft to examine and decide whether it was in keeping with the February 16 judgment of the Supreme Court.
The Centre further stated that the scheme could be bestowed with any nomenclature (Board, Authority, or Committee) as deemed appropriate and that it would allow the riparian states and Union Cabinet to check the draft, if the Supreme Court required for the same.
The Centre has also reportedly stated that the headquarters of this yet-to-be-named authority will be in Bengaluru.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court’s verdict on the century-long dispute between the two states ruled, “It needs no special emphasis to state that the purpose of Section 6A is to act in the manner in which the award determines the allocation and decides the dispute with regard to allocation or sharing of water. Keeping that in view, we direct that a scheme shall be framed by the Central Government within a span of six weeks from today so that the authorities under the scheme can see to it that the present decision which has modified the award passed by the Tribunal is smoothly made functional and the rights of the States as determined by us are appositely carried out. When we say so, we also categorically convey that the need based monthly release has to be respected. It is hereby made clear that no extension shall be granted for framing of the scheme on any ground.”
The scheme details the functions of the yet to be named body starting with a determination of residual water level in June.
The Centre had faced severe flak from political parties in Tamil Nadu for missing its six-week deadline. The scheme was the only relief in the judgment for the state, which reduced its water share from to 177.25 tmc ft from 192 tmc ft.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy said, “Tamil Nadu’s demand is that the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee has to be formed. Amma (former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa) took it to the level of a tribunal order. The Supreme Court will soon tell the Centre to give the scheme. Today the Centre has filed it and there are various features on it. Come May 16 the Tamil Nadu government will get a good judgment for the people.”