T.N. may appeal Cauvery verdict

Cut in share, ‘groundwater’ component may be contested; Govt. calls all-party meet on February 22

The reduction of Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water and the inclusion of “replenishable groundwater availability” in the Cauvery basin of the State while fixing allocations will form part of a review petition in the event the State chooses to file a review petition before the Supreme Court. The review petition is being seen as a probable course of action by the government.

To decide on the next steps, the government has convened a meeting of all political parties on Thursday morning (February 22) at the Secretariat. An official release stated that the views of all leaders would be sought before finalising the government’s move. It added that discussions were on with legal experts as well.

According to technical and legal experts associated with the dispute, the State can very well raise its objections over the decrease in the allocation when its irrigated area (24.71 lakh acres) has been retained. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, in its final order of February 2007, allowed that much irrigated area while determining the State’s overall share as 419 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft). In its judgment last week, the Supreme Court brought down the allocation to 404.25 tmc ft for Tamil Nadu and enhanced the share of Karnataka to 284.75 tmc ft.

‘Saline pockets’

While political parties of the State do not seem to have serious objections to earmarking some more water for meeting the drinking water requirements of the growing Bengaluru city, they are piqued at including the groundwater component with respect to Tamil Nadu.

Invariably, the groundwater table even in parts of Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur has gone down drastically over the years, a development aided by the implementation of the free power supply scheme in the last 25 years. Some pockets have turned saline. This has been borne out in various studies including one undertaken by the now-abolished Union Planning Commission way back in 2007.

Under such circumstances, the inclusion of groundwater availability is not appropriate, the experts say, pointing out that even the Supreme Court has counselled caution about “overextraction” of groundwater.

Meanwhile, as the State government had announced an all-party meeting, the DMK cancelled a similar meeting slated on February 23. In a statement, Mr. Stalin requested the State government to invite the representatives of farmers’ associations, saying that their views on the issue were very important.