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Learn all about the Cauvery Water Issue

Everything you need to know about the Cauvery water dispute, Cauvery water issue, Cauvery River water dispute and other topics related to the Cauvery water issue.

The sharing of the Kaveri River’s resources has caused considerable tension between the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The origins of this war may be summarised in two agreements signed between the Madras Presidency and the Kingdom of Mysore in 1892 and 1924. The Kaveri river has a basin size of 44,000 km across Tamil Nadu and 32,000 km throughout Karnataka.

Cauvery Water Dispute

The Cauvery Water Dispute is between three states – Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and one Union Territory, Puducherry.

The conflict’s beginnings may be dated directly 150 years to two arbitral contracts made in 1892 and 1924 by the then-presidency of Madras, Mysore.

It entails the notion that the higher state must get the lower state’s agreement for any building activity, such as a storage tank upon the Cauvery River.

Developments Related To the Cauvery Water Issue

In 1974, Karnataka began releasing water into four newly constructed reservoirs with no approvals from Tamil Nadu, which resulted in an issue & conflict.

To solve the issue, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal – had to be set up in 1990. It took 17 years to decide on what basis Cauvery water was to be divided among the four states under seasonal rainfall conditions.

The Central Government established the CWDT following the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act of 1956.

It directed that in times of hardship, a method of sharing in pro-rata sources be utilised. The administration required the next six years to issue the decree, announced in 2013.

This was brought before the Supreme Court, where Karnataka was ordered to deliver 12000 cubic metres of water to Tamil Nadu, distributing demonstrations throughout the state.

In 2018, the Supreme Court released its final judgement, proclaiming the Cauvery a nationwide resource and maintaining the CWDT’s water-sharing provisions while limiting water distribution among Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka will be getting 284.75 million cubic feet of water, Tamil Nadu will take 404.25 million cubic feet of water, Kerala will take 30 million cubic feet of water, and Puducherry will take 7 million cubic feet of water, according to the Supreme Court.

The Mekedatu Reservoir Project

The Mekedatu Reservoir Project intends to conserve and distribute water for human consumption to the city of Bengaluru. The project is also expected to generate 400 megawatts of electricity.

Even though Karnataka has said that the project will not impair the water supply to Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu filed a petition with the Supreme Court in 2018.

TN rejects any project planned mainly for the upper zone unless otherwise authorised by the Supreme Court.

Plans Related To Cauvery Water Dispute

The nations must forsake the regional style since the resolution is in partnership and coordination rather than confrontation. To be sustainable and environmentally practicable, the solution must be developed according to the basin conditions.

In the long run, there is a requirement to refill the river by afforestation, creating reservoirs & network of canals, and other techniques, and there is a greater emphasis on improving water consumption efficiency, such as micro-irrigation, creating public awareness of to use water wisely, and applying water-smart methods.

The tribunal issued its final decision in 2007, stating that Tamil Nadu should receive 419 thousand cubic feet of water, which was more than twice the intermediate ruling. Karnataka was dissatisfied. Karnataka was expected to give 192 thousand million cubic feet of water to Tamil Nadu in 10 instalment releases each year under the provisions of the award. The Centre only made the award notice public in 2013, just after the Supreme Court directed everyone to do it. 

Conclusion

We studied the Cauvery water dispute, Cauvery water issue, Cauvery River water dispute and other topics related to the Cauvery water issue.

The legal conflict over the Cauvery Water Dispute has a lengthy history, dating back to agreements signed between the former principal state of Mysore and the Madras Presidency in 1892 and 1924. Following a Supreme Court ruling, the Centre established the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in 1990 to settle the conflict. In an interim ruling issued in 1991, the tribunal granted Tamil Nadu 205 thousand million cubic feet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ireland on September 23, 2015. It was the second time an Indian Prime Minister had visited Ireland. The first being Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit in 1956. Ireland is an island nation located in Northwestern Europe and surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean.

The Prime Minister of Ireland, Enda Kenny, had hosted PM Modi during his visit. The PM was attended by other dignitaries such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charles Flanagan, and Ireland’s Ambassador to India, Feilim McLaughlin. The main aim of the visit was to create stronger ties and improve trade and cultural relations. Described below is the impact of the PM’s Ireland visit.

Impact on trade and commerce

India and Ireland have strong bilateral trade and business relations. Before the PM’s visit, trades with Ireland were valued at €650 million in business in 2014. This included exports worth €248m and imports worth €402 million.

The indigenous exports increased from €32 million in 2012 to €55 million in 2014. In 2019, the total bilateral trade was around €1.2 billion. The exports and the imports have also increased to €636 million and €480 million respectively. Currently, the total trade between India and Ireland is valued at €4.2 billion. This resulted from improved bilateral ties between the two nations, owing to Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ireland.

Indian Companies in Ireland

Many Indian companies carry out trade and commerce in Ireland. They provide services to Irish markets and consumers across various industries. Pharmaceutical giants such as Reliance Genemedix and Amneal Pharmaceuticals operate in Ireland. Major IT companies such as Wipro, Infosys, TCS, and HCL also have a strong presence in the country. The trade relations were bolstered after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ireland.

 

Other companies like Crompton Greaves, Deepak Fasteners, Jain irrigation systems, and Shapoorji Pallonji provide consumer goods and services. Likewise, many Irish companies conduct their business in the Indian market. These companies include pharmaceutical and nutrition players like ICON and Glanbia, IT firms like Globoforce and other companies like Keventer, CRH Taxback Group, and Connolly Red Mills.

Impact on Education

Ireland has been a coveted destination for higher education for Indian students. Over 5000 Indian students have enrolled for higher studies in various institutions in Ireland. The students are admitted to engineering, technology, medicine and management colleges. More than 30 research agreements have been signed between the two nations that allow institutes in both countries to collaborate.

 

Many reputed institutes like Trinity College, Dublin, and Thapar University, Patiala, have signed MOUs for engineering and science disciplines programmes. Thus, Ireland is an essential collaborator in graduate and doctoral research. This collaboration is also considered an impact of the PM’s Ireland visit.

Indian Community in Ireland

Ireland is diplomatically significant for India also due to the large number of Indian citizens residing there. The Indian origin population is approximately 45,000 people, of whom 18,500 are Non-Resident Indians (NRI), and others are Persons of Indian Origin (PIO). The majority of the residents are working professionals employed in engineering, healthcare and management positions.

 

It has helped in establishing many policies for the Indian origin population. Two such policies in practice are wearing hijab as a part of the police uniform and the non-requirement of obtaining an additional work permit for the spouse or the partner of Critical Skill Employment Permit holders.

Cultural Impact

As a result of a large population of Indian origin citizens in Ireland and the relationship between the two nations, Ireland promotes Indian culture in various forms. One such example is the celebration of Diwali in Ireland since 2008. The event is organised every year in collaboration with Irish and Indian committees.

 

Further, an annual contemporary film festival is also a part of the celebration of Indian culture. The promotion of such events indicates the importance of cultural exchange between the two nations. The Irish communities also take a keen interest in conventional practices such as cultivating and consuming Indian herbs and spices. This connects the agricultural practices between the two nations. The cultural ties between the countries were strong, and Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ireland helped strengthen them further.

 

Another significant practice is the celebration of International Yoga Day in Ireland. The Irish communities have accepted Yoga as a form of a healthy lifestyle. The practice is similar to the Indian tradition.

Tourism

India attracts around 44,000 Irish tourists every year. Indian tourists too visit Ireland in similar numbers. This was facilitated by the introduction of the common British-Irish visa scheme. This scheme allows the tourists to visit the U.K. and Ireland under one visa, rather than applying for two separate visas. It is valid for short stays. India also extended its Electronic Tourist Visa facility to Ireland to digitally facilitate visa approval and generation. The impact of the PM’s Ireland visit was such that it has also helped establish the tourism sector in both countries.

Conclusion

The diplomatic ties between Ireland and India have been impacted positively after Prime Minister Modi visited Ireland in 2015. It was an essential step toward strengthening the bilateral relationship between these two nations. India and Ireland have been important to each other since the 1900s.

 

In 2010 and 2017, two honorary consulates were established in Chennai and Kolkata. Later in 2019, a formal and fully functional consulate general in Mumbai. Ireland and India have also shown their allegiance to fighting terrorism after the Pulwama attack. India has also hosted several Irish dignitaries on various occasions. These visits were directed toward engagement in business, education, health and tourism.

 

Further, many agreements were signed to provide opportunities for employment to people of both countries. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ireland helped revive relatively stagnant relations between these two nations. Several cultural and historically similar instances bind these two nations. From Yeats and Tagore to cricket and Diwali, the cultural semblance between these two nations has helped create a strong tie between them.

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What is the Cauvery water conflict?

Ans. Dispute Over Cauvery Water consists of three states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, along with one Union ...Read full

What is the significance of the Cauvery River?

Ans. Kaveri is significant to both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The river travel...Read full

Why is the Kaveri River drying up?

Ans. The soil is no longer absorbing water efficiently and instead erodes. Ca...Read full

Which states were engaged in the water dispute related to the Cauvery River?

Ans. The sharing of the Kaveri River’s resources has caused considerable tension between the Indian states of ...Read full

When was the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal established?

Ans. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was set up in 1990. The tribunal issued its final decision in 2007, stating...Read full