CAUVERY RIVER (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: The mostly rural electorate in Thanjavur, located in the delta of the Cauvery river in Tamil Nadu, have voted in the opposition alliance over concerns and hardships they have faced in recent years regarding agrarian issues, according to experts.

Cauvery River

• About: It is the largest river in the Karnatka state.
• Known as:  Dakshina Ganga (the Ganges of the South) and considered one of the sacred rivers of India.
• Origin: Bramahagiri Hills near Madikeri in Coorg.
• Tributaries: Harangi, Hemavathi, Lakshmanatirtha, Kabini, Shimsha, Arkavati, Suvarnavathi or Honnuholé,  Bhavani, Lokapavani, Noyyal.
• Dams: Mettur dam and Cauvery delta system in Tamil Nadu.

Cauvery River Disputes

• Background: Coursing through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before eventually merging into the Bay of Bengal, the Cauvery is a significant river in southern India. The origin of the dispute traces back to the late 1800s, when agreements were reached between the princely state of Mysore (now part of Karnataka) and the Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu).
• Key problems: Primarily, the dispute pertains to the allocation of water resources during periods of water scarcity, the distribution of water during regular years, and the establishment of reservoirs and dams along the river's course.

Cauvery Water Regulation Authority CWRA

• About: It has been created as per the Cauvery Management Scheme earlier framed by the Centre and approved by the Supreme Court.
• Functions: To ensure the enforcement and adherence to the directives of the Supreme Court concerning the "storage, allocation, management, and oversight of Cauvery waters."
• The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT): It was formed in 1990 and was aimed at addressing water disputes involving Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry.