Water Dispute Between States in Federal India | HPSC Preparation: All subjects - HPSC (Haryana) PDF Download

Politics

India is the seventh-largest country globally, surrounded by sea on three sides, and has a population of about 1.3 billion. There are bound to be disputes between people, states, and regions over a multitude of issues.
India has a federal government with three tiers of government: central government, state government, and local government. Each level of the government is responsible for a particular set of issues or ‘items’ that are specified in the Lists. In other words, their areas of jurisdiction are clearly laid in the Lists (The Union List for the central government, the State List for state governments, and a Concurrent List, which contains items that come under both their jurisdiction). One of the most common reasons for disputes between states is the sharing of river water. With so many rivers flowing across India, many states have to share the water. River water is used for a wide variety of purposes, including irrigation, energy production, and household work, so it is an essential resource.

Disputes Between States

With so many states sharing the same river water, there are many disputes and issues that have arisen. Many states continue to fight for their rights over river water, while others have managed to reach a consensus on how to use river water without affecting the other state. This has mainly been possible due to center intervention and consequent changes in in-laws. Here are some of the river water disputes which have arisen in recent years:

• Godavari Water Dispute: This was a legal dispute over the sharing of Godavari river water between the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
• Narmada Water Dispute: This was primarily a water dispute between Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
• Cauvery Water Dispute: During the late 19th century, a major water dispute began between Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu.
• Krishna Water Dispute: The states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and later Telangana as well were involved in a dispute over the sharing of Krishna river water.
• Ravi and Beas Water Dispute: Around the 1980s, the states of Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana were involved in a dispute revolving around the sharing of Ravi and Beas river water.

Causes for Water Dispute

• Uneven Water Distribution: Since rivers are a natural resource, no one can control how they flow and how much water a state would really get. Often, a river flows through multiple states, but the distribution is quite uneven. So, one of the states can get more water than the others, which becomes a cause of dispute because some states will have a greater share of water than the others.
•  Increasing Need for Water: River water is mainly used for irrigation purposes and farming besides other household work such as cleaning, washing, etc. With more and more people settling down, the usage of water increases. People would need to use greater quantities of water, which creates a water shortage problem, especially in areas or states with an already smaller share of the water.
• Polluting of Water Bodies: Besides agriculture, river water is also used by industries for manufacturing. In both cases, the river water is polluted, either due to fertilizers, chemicals, industrial waste, household waste, etc. This creates a general problem of water pollution, but it also reduces the amount of clean river water available to other states, especially those which are located downriver. Having to use dirty water or facing issues of inadequate water flow becomes one of the common reasons for water disputes in India.
• Absence of an Authority on Water Distribution and Disputes: Unfortunately, there is no real authority or government agency which deals with the issue of river water allocation, usage of the water, consequences of polluting it, etc. Unless the inhabitants are faced with an issue, or a major dispute arises, there is no agency or authority which focuses on the general issue of river water distribution and its uses. The Tribunal exists, but it cannot implement any orders.

Solutions for Inter-State Water Disputes

The fact that disputes arise over the use and sharing of river water is not the real problem. Problems arise when multiple people use the same resources for multiple uses, but it is important that these problems are resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned and also do not take longer time than usual. Here are some ways to solve the issues: -

• People Should Be More Careful and Considerate: Knowing that many people use the very resources of water for various purposes, it is important that the users utilize it with care and do not waste water, do not pollute it, and do not create any unnecessary problems with regards to the usage. With resources only depleting, people should be made more aware of the situation and should be considerate when using them. Water is an essential resource, and people should use it economically.
• Mutual Cooperation: It is the state government’s responsibility to manage river water sharing, especially since it comes under the State List. Different states that share the same river water must reach a consensus or an agreement so that it is made clear what the demarcation of river water is. Such agreements must lay out the terms of water usage so that individuals and industries only use a certain amount of river water and for a particular reason.
• Creation of a Private Authority or Agency: Besides government agencies, it is important to create private or non-governmental agencies that would monitor river water utilization and sharing. While government agencies focus on such issues, having organizations working solely on matters concerning river water and its use makes it easier to assess the problems and find solutions quicker.
• Change in Laws: Laws must be changed or altered to fit the needs of the people. Since the states use river water for many purposes, it becomes important that more laws are devised. Existing ones are revised to make sharing of water resources easier, which could possibly speed up the process of seeking redressal from such problems. The Interstate River Water Disputes Act is one such example.

Water is an essential resource, and life cannot exist without it. In cases such as that of India, where multiple states and thousands of people have to use the same river water in their day to day needs, it is of utmost importance that there is a proper way to solve any disputes which might arise and that measures are taken to avoid disputes in the first place.