Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Credit: DH Photo/Krishnakumar P S
New Delhi: Gadag-Haveri BJP Lok Sabha member Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday suggested that the Centre should set up a single tribunal, headed by sitting Supreme Court judges to resolve inter-state water disputes across the country.
Participating in a discussion on demand for grants for the Jal Shakti Ministry in Lok Sabha, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka said that water disputes have led to prolonged legal battles. The tribunals for disputes involving Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh have been functioning for over 50 years, yet no lasting solutions have been reached, he said.
“States continue to suffer, and project costs have skyrocketed from Rs 200 crore to Rs 20,000 crore. Some judges have been handling cases for 20-30 years, causing financial and legal delays. This is not just a delay of justice but a denial of justice. So, all inter-state water disputes should be handled by a single tribunal led by sitting Supreme Court judges for quicker resolution," Bommai suggested.
At present, a separate tribunal is being constituted for each inter-state water sharing dispute.
Almatti Dam height increase
"Although the Krishna Tribunal gave its verdict in 2010, the notification has still not been issued. Increasing Almatti Dam’s height to 524 meters is not Karnataka’s proposal but a tribunal decision and this will not cause floods in Maharashtra and will actually benefit Telangana and Andhra Pradesh," he said
Bommai reiterated that Mekedatu is Karnataka’s rightful project and urged the central government to direct the CWMA (Cauvery Water Management Authority) to take action.
Bommai also demanded approval for the Mahadayi project, pointing out that even though the Mahadayi Tribunal has given its decision, environmental clearance is still pending, which is affecting Karnataka.
He also demanded the implementation of Bedti-Varada River Linking, which falls within his constituency.