Multiparty Transboundary Cauvery River Basin Water Dispute in India
| Geolocation: | 10° 24' 33.7356", 79° 44' 48.8857" |
|---|---|
| Total Population | 5151,000,000 millionmillion |
| Total Area | 81,15581,155 km² 31,333.946 mi² km2 |
| Climate Descriptors | Humid mid-latitude (Köppen C-type) |
| Predominent Land Use Descriptors | agricultural- cropland and pasture, agricultural- confined livestock operations, urban- high density |
| Important Uses of Water | Agriculture or Irrigation, Domestic/Urban Supply, Hydropower Generation |
Contents
Summary
Natural, Historic, Economic, Regional, and Political Framework
Issues and Stakeholders
The Cauvery river originates in Karnataka (upper riparian) and then flows through Tamil Nadu and Kerala before reaching Puducherry and then flowing into the Bay of Bengal. More than 90% of the Cauvery water is shared by the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In this Case Study, I am focusing only on these two states to look at the window of opportunity for a more just and sustainable solution to the river basin dispute. Another reason is that rest of the two parties to the dispute—State of Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry—are not extremely concerned about the dispute because the state of Kerala is getting most of its water needs from other sources, and Puducherry is getting in commensurate with its need, and both these parties constitute only a small percentage of the water available from Cauvery river for use (<6-7%). Both the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are excessively dependent on the Cauvery river for meeting their irrigation needs. Focus for both the states so far has been on expanding irrigation infrastructure than to increase water efficiency use in the sector. Drinking water needs is also an important issue between the states. Both the needs rely heavily on the river for meeting drinking sector water requirements.'
NSPD: Water Quantity, Ecosystems, Governance
Stakeholder Types: Federated state/territorial/provincial government
Analysis, Synthesis, and Insight
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Key Questions
Transboundary Water Issues:
How can we engage with inter-state water disputes in the true spirit of federalism?
Power and Politics:
How can Water Diplomacy Framework help states to reach a long-lasting, just, sustainable agreement using a mutual-gains approach against the zero-sum approach that the states/disputants are using currently?
