Title: Need to ensure flow of Cauvery water into Mettur Reservoir as stipulated in Interim Award.
SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR (MAYILADUTURAI): The Supreme Court agreed in 1998 to suspend its hearings in the Cauvery Water dispute on being assured by the Attorney-General of India that the Union Government would frame a scheme under Section 8A of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act to implement the Interim Award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. Following this assurance, a Cauvery River Authority was established in August 1998 comprising the hon. Prime Minister and the four hon. Chief Ministers concerned. In the period of around 100 weeks that has passed since the establishment of the Authority, there has hardly been a week in which the flow of Cauvery water into the Mettur Reservoir has conformed to the weekly schedule stipulated in the Interim Award. The Cauvery Delta is being starved of water when required for the Kuruvai and Samba crops and is being flooded with excess water when such water is not required for agriculture. Parliament needs to be informed of the steps proposed to be taken to ensure the faithful implementation of the Interim Award, failing which there will be no alternative but to return to the Supreme Court.
