Tamil Nadu has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court seeking the constitution of a separate tribunal, headed by a Supreme Court judge, to resolve the South Pennaiyar river water-sharing dispute.
In its submission, the state said the matter should not be handed over to the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal, which it described as not currently in use. The affidavit was filed in response to proceedings before the apex court.
The South Pennaiyar originates at Nandi Durga hill in Karnataka’s Kolar district and flows into the Bay of Bengal through Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. The river is about 350 km long, with a major portion flowing through Tamil Nadu.
The dispute arose after Karnataka initiated steps to build a dam across the river at a place called Yargol in Kolar district, which Tamil Nadu challenged in the Supreme Court. Earlier, on February 2, the Supreme Court had directed the Union government to set up a separate tribunal within three months to address the issue.
Subsequently, the Union government sought the Supreme Court’s permission to assign the case to the Mahadayi tribunal instead of forming a new one. The Supreme Court asked Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to file their responses, following which Tamil Nadu submitted the affidavit reiterating its demand for a new tribunal.
