Despite the final award announced by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in February 2007, the beneficiary states are all set for another bout of battle in the Supreme Court.

Tamil Nadu has filed a petition seeking restrain on Karnataka in implementing more irrigation projects on the river basin in the state saying it might stall the legitimate flow of water in its parched areas.

In an application, Tamil Nadu said, “Karnataka in utter defiance of the final order of the Tribunal and during the pendency of the appeal before the Apex Court, is constructing check dams, irrigation projects,  tanks for additional storage of water, which would be flowing from neighbouring Kerala.”

Work in progress
The Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL), a special purpose vehicle created by Karnataka, had taken up 6 irrigation projects and is proceeding to rejuvenate 1262 tanks in the Cauvery basin at a cost of Rs 657 crore, the application said quoting news reports.

Construction of so many projects in the basin would entail the denial of legitimate flow of water to Tamil Nadu, said the application filed by Counsel R Nedumaran for Tamil Nadu.

While rejecting the proposals of Karnataka, the Tribunal in its final order on February 5, 2007, had granted permission of construction of Somwarpet Irrigation Project on humanitarian grounds.

Sustenance
This was done to provide sustenance to the people displaced by the Harangi project, the application said.
The proposal of the Karnataka government for the Kabini, Hemavathy, Harangi, Iggalur and Arkavathy projects for irrigation of 3,655 hectares was not permitted by the Tribunal due to lack of supply of water, said the application.