The Supreme Court of India has directed the Central government to constitute a Water Disputes Tribunal within one month to resolve the long‑standing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the sharing of Pennaiyar river waters. The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and N.V. Anjaria ordered the Centre to issue the necessary notification under the Inter‑State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, saying there was no reason to delay formation of the tribunal.
The direction came while disposing of Tamil Nadu’s original suit filed in 2018, in which the State sought relief against Karnataka’s construction of check dams and water diversions upstream, contending they had reduced downstream flows. Tamil Nadu has long argued that water in interstate rivers is a national asset and must be shared equitably, while Karnataka had challenged the suit and questioned its maintainability.
Under the court’s order, the tribunal will examine issues relating to the utilisation, control and distribution of the Pennaiyar river’s waters between the two States, aiming for a legally binding resolution to the dispute that has persisted for years