New Delhi: Even as the Supreme Court orally observed that there should not be any quarrel between the States in sharing river water, Karnataka on Wednesday asserted that Tamil Nadu was entitled to get only 132 tmcft of water as against 192 tmcft awarded by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in its final award in February 2007.
Making this submission before a bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitav Roy and A.M. Kanwilkar, senior counsel Fali Nariman appearing for Karnataka maintained that the burden of Karnataka to supply 192 tmcft annually at the inter-State border, Billigundlu, has been fixed without any regard to the actual requirements of Tamil Nadu.
He said as per the Tribunal, Tamil nadu's water requirements for irrigating 24.71 lakh hectares was 192 tmcft which was in express breach of the 1892 and 1924 agreements to which Karnataka did not agree. Mr. Nariman asserted that Karnataka was always at the receiving end by the agreements, which were thrust on it.
He questioned the methodology adopted by the Tribunal in apportioning water to the three States and to Puducherry. Referring to the apportionment of 192 tmcft to Tamil Nadu, Mr. Nariman said the award was excess and unreasonable as Tamil nadu was entitled only for 132 tmcft. He wanted the court to reverse the award and restrict the requirements only at 132 tmcft at Biligundlu.
At one stage Justice Misra observed that India is one nation and States should not fight for share of river water. It was brought to the court's notice that certain applications and review petitions were pending before the Cauvery Tribunal to be taken up after the disposal of the present appeals. The Bench also made it clear that even if it were to come to a conclusion that allocation of water has not been made on equitable basis by the Tribunal in its final award, it will not remand the matter back to the Tribunal for fresh consideration.
