Cauvery water row: Supreme Court asks Centre to file scheme by May 3

The Supreme Court on Monday heard the Center's plea to extend the deadline for framing a scheme to implement it's February 16 judgement in the Cauvery water dispute case. The deadline ended on March 29.

The Supreme Court has asked Centre to file its draft scheme by May 3 in pursuance of its judgment in the Cauvery water dispute case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that it considered the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and decided the water share for states, which has to be complied with.

Further, they asked the authorities in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to maintain peace in their states till the Court finalises the scheme for implementation of its judgment.

The apex court had on February 16 raised the 270 tmcft share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu’s share while compensating it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin, saying the issue of drinking water has to be placed on a “higher pedestal”.

It also directed the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its 465-page judgement on water dispute. It further modified the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) award of 2007 and made it clear that it will not be extending time for this on any ground.

The petition said it was filed to “protect the interests of the farmers and the larger interests of the State”.