india

Updated: Jul 11, 2019 00:09 IST

The Centre on Wednesday decided to do away with nine tribunals and to set up a single body to resolve interstate water disputes within a time frame of two years.

“There have been instances where such disputes have dragged on for decades.The single tribunal, which can have different benches, will ensure that these matters are resolved within a fixed time frame of two years,” said Union Information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar.

He said the Union Cabinet under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chairmanship approved the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019, for the adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers and river valleys.

Javadekar said the bill seeks to amend the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. He added it was being done with a view to streamline the adjudication of inter-state river water disputes and make the present institutional architecture robust.

According to an official statement, the constitution of the single tribunal with different benches, along with fixation of strict timelines for adjudication, will result in expeditious resolution of disputes relating to inter-state rivers. Several states, including Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, have been involved in water-related disputes.

“The proposed changes will speed up the adjudication of water disputes. The Parliamentary Standing Committee, in its nineteenth report, had underscored the need to review the existing inter-state water disputes resolution framework. The changes seem to be a step towards that direction,” said Ravi Kumar Pant, a former member of the erstwhile Planning Commission.

At present, there are nine Tribunals including those on Cauvery, Mahadayi, Ravi and Beas, Vansadhara and Krishna rivers.