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Only court orders cannot solve the Cauvery problem
The 124-year-old Cauvery water dispute is among the rare water disputes that have not been resolved because it is linked to inadequate rain. In fact, until 1991, the dispute did not lead to violent protests. The two state governments would talk to each other and decide on the quantum of water to be released. But everything changed after 1991 thanks to chauvinistic politicians on both sides, who used identity politics to further their political ambitions
In India, sometimes politicians get away with just about anything. Here is a fine example: After two days of raging violence in Karnataka that led to large scale destruction of expensive public property, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah came out on Tuesday to make an appeal for peace. However, his appeal did not sound convincing because he added that the Supreme Court order on sharing of Cauvery water with Tamil Nadu (12,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu per day till September 20) was an “unfair” decision and that it would be difficult to carry out the order. Bengaluru has been placed under curfew after deadly violence erupted over the long-running dispute. Around 15,000 police officers were deployed on the largely deserted streets of the country’s IT capital to enforce a curfew, after rampaging, stone-pelting mobs set buses and cars ablaze.
Read: SC modifies Cauvery order, Karnataka to give 12,000 cusecs water a day to TN
Instead of this petty and emotional ‘we are the aggrieved party’ remark, Mr Siddaramaiah’s message should have been to the point: People must accept the highest court’s order with grace, not indulge in violence and his government will help the people in whatever way it can to fix any water shortage in the state.
Read: Cauvery cocktail: River dispute exposes Karnataka, Tamil Nadu faultlines
The Karnataka CM’s half-hearted appeal for peace also cannot cover one more critical failure of the state government: Why did it allow things go out of hand when it was known that Cauvery waters is an emotive issue and any decision on sharing the water during lean monsoon years can lead to trouble?
Read: PM Modi ‘distressed’ by violence over Cauvery row, wants legal solution
The 124-year-old Cauvery water dispute is among the rare water disputes that have not been resolved because it is linked to inadequate rain. In fact, until 1991, the dispute did not lead to violent protests. The two state governments would talk to each other and decide on the quantum of water to be released. But everything changed after 1991 thanks to chauvinistic politicians on both sides, who used identity politics to further their political ambitions.
Read: SC order on Cauvery issue tough to carry out, but we’ll do it: Karnataka CM
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the “dispute can only be solved within the legal ambit”. Along with a legal solution, there has to be several other concurrent efforts for a long-term resolution. First, political parties have to desist from playing chauvinistic identity politics; second, there has to be dialogue among stakeholders like the Cauvery Family dialogue, which was functional from 2002-03 till about 2012, to understand their requirements; third, the cropping pattern both in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu has to move towards less water-intensive crops; and finally, better water management in the river basin
