Supreme Court Orders Tribunal for Pennaiyar River Dispute

The Supreme Court has directed the Indian government to form a tribunal to resolve the water-sharing conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the Pennaiyar River. The court has instructed that a notification be issued within a month. The dispute centers on check dams and the 1892 water agreement.

The Supreme Court has mandated the Central government to establish a tribunal aimed at adjudicating the water-sharing conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the Pennaiyar River. This directive was issued by Justices Vikram Nath and N V Anjaria.

Justice Nath emphasized the necessity of this tribunal, ordering that the government should publicize an appropriate notification in the official gazette within a month. This follows a long-standing dispute over construction activities and water rights between the two states.

Tamil Nadu originally brought the case to the court in 2018, challenging Karnataka's infrastructure projects on the river. The state argues that Karnataka's actions violate the 1892 agreement, which governs water rights and demands mutual consent for such developments.

(With inputs from agencies.)