Set up tribunal for water dispute: SC

Top court asks Centre to settle row between TN, K'taka over Pennaiyar River water sharing

- SUCHITRA KALYAN MOHANTY

THE Supreme Court on Monday directed the union government to constitute within one month a tribunal to resolve the disputes between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the sharing of water from the Pennaiyar River.

The apex court’s order came on a suit filed under Article 131 of the Constitution by the Tamil Nadu government against Karnataka and the union government seeking the constitution of a river water tribunal to resolve the interstate water dispute related to the Pennaiyar and Markandeya river projects undertaken by the Karnataka government.

A two-judge bench of justices Vikram Nath and N V Anjaria pronounced the judgment. “We find no reason to refrain from directing the central government to issue an appropriate notification in the official gazette and to constitute a water disputes tribunal for the adjudication of the interstate water dispute between the parties here within a period of one month from today.