SC for panel to check discharge of sewage into Cauvery

The Supreme Court on Monday asked Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to submit if an independent panel of experts could be formed to suggest measures to prevent drainage water going into the Cauvery river.

A bench of Justices S A Bobde and U U Lalit sought responses within two weeks.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Tamil Nadu, seeking direction to Karnataka to check discharge of about 1,400 million litres of drainage and industrial wastage daily into the river, affecting crops and people in Tamil Nadu.

“Why can’t we have an independent panel to assess the situation,” the bench asked senior advocate and additional advocate general of Tamil Nadu Subramonium Prasad, who sought two weeks’ time to file his response. During the hearing, Karnataka was not represented as no counsel on behalf of the state was present.

Tamil Nadu had filed the original suit in the matter in 2015. A separate three-judge bench has already started hearing the civil appeals filed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and others, challenging the 2007 decision of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, determining the quantum of water in the river basin states.